Dhidhdhoo's supplementary fund for RaajjeTV raises over 17k in just 48 hours

The donation box placed by residents of Dhidhdhoo island in Haa Alifu Atoll to supplement Raajje Television’s fund-raising drive has garnered over MVR 17,000, within just 48 hours.

Ali Hashim, the chair of the island’s government council, said that the people of Dhidhdhoo are willing to stand against injustice in any form.

Especially the unjust isolation and penalization of an independent source of information, Hashim said in reference to the privately-owned station.

In his interview with RaajjeMV, Hashim had thanked the station’s management and staff for their ‘tireless and courageous’ efforts.

Dhidhdhoo joined a number of other islands that had set up similar boxes to supplement Raajje Television’s efforts to raise funds to pay off a fine of MVR 500,000, on Friday.

The island’s council said that the funds garnered through the box will be deposited to the station’s account with the Bank of Maldives on Monday.

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission slapped Raajje Television with a third fine this year on the grounds that the station had broadcasted content that is potentially a threat to national security.

Members of the commission claim that they following up on a case submitted to them in August and while the national defence force, the institution statutorily charged with overseeing national-level threats, denies having filed such a case, the commission refused to name the source.

The station began its 'Aburufulhu' fund-raising drive on 10th October and their staff has set up 'mobile' boxes all over capital city Malé. They have also filed for an injunction to halt the payment until their case in court reaches sentencing.

Raajje Television had previously been fined MVR 200,000 and a million on different counts of violating the act on Defamation and Freedom of Expression, which was ratified in 2016 while journalists from almost every media organization in the country protested.