RaajjeTV fine case heads to trial, following failure of dispute resolution

The case filed by RaajjeTV over the MVR 1 million fine by Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) will now go on trial, having failed Civil Court’s dispute resolution stage.

In the Civil Court hearing held on Monday, RaajjeTV maintained that the MVR 1 million fine was imposed against rules, regulations and procedures. Speaking on behalf of the station, RaajjeTV Chief Operating Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa said the Court had pleased both sides to seek a resolution to the case through discussion.

However, Fiyaz noted that the state had pressed to go trial from the onset.

Fiyaz noted that lawyers from Attorney General’s Office and MBC had attended the hearings.

‘RaajjeTV was penalized against procedures. We noted that Broadcasting Commission and Attorney General’s Office had failed to draw up required procedures, so this fine cannot be imposed. The three cases completed are false, therefore, we pressed to resolve the case out of court. We don’t want to conduct a trial on the state,’ Fiyaz said.

RaajjeTV was fined by MVR 1 million after paying the fine on May 4th.

The station’s lawyer Mohamed Nishan said the station had requested to nullify the decision made by MBC and recover the fine to RaajjeTV.