RaajjeTV to file suit against MBC head Shaheeb

RaajjeTV is to file a case against President of Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) Mohamed Shaheeb for the gross violations in taking action on broadcasters such as RaajjeTV.

Speaking in RaajjeTV ’60 minutes’ program on Friday night, the station’s Chief Operating Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa said the Commission was penalizing the station against the measures set in the Constitution and the Defamation Bill. He added there was no fairness in the treatment meted to RaajjeTV.

Fiyaz noted the Commission had failed to draw up the procedures and rules mandated under the Defamation Law and in spite of this had persisted in penalizing the station. He said the Commission was under no obligation to reveal who had lodged the case with the Commission and therefore the broadcaster had no inclination whether if the case was filed according to procedures.

‘Due to his position in the Commission, Shaheeb has to be responsible for all the decisions made against the Constitution and laws. Shahyb had signed all the decisions [of the Commission]. We’re now in discussions with our lawyers to file the case in Civil Court,’ Fiyaz said.

Referring to the clear bias, Fiyaz noted that TVM was penalized for broadcasting statements made by Inguraidhoo Constituency MP Mohamed Falah regarding former Home Minister Umar Naseer. However, he said that government aligned Channel13 was not penalized for broadcasting the same content.

So far, RaajjeTV has been fined by MVR 1.7 million in three separate cases this year.

The latest penalty was imposed on the station for broadcasting content that allegedly impacted national security.

The station was fined by MVR 500,000 or US$ 32,425.4.

In a letter sent to RaajjeTV Chief Operating Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, the Commission said RaajjeTV was penalized for broadcasting a statement made by Thimarafushi Constituency MP Mohamed Musthafa on July 28th during a live program.

The letter said that MP Musthafa had on the program, spoken in a manner that encouraged to overthrow the current Government, encourage to carry out an illegal act, encourage a loss to the legal government and encouraged action that negatively impacted on national security and the safety and security of the elected President of the Maldives. The fine, the letter said, was levied after investigating the case.

While the Commission had deemed MP Musthafa’s statements as endangering national security, no investigation had been carried out either by Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). Fiyaz noted that while the Commission had deemed this a national security, it had not even drawn up guidelines on what constitutes as a risk to national security. He also questioned the fairness in penalizing the station while no imposition had been made on who had actually made the statement.