MBC ruling over Channel 13 starkly different from investigation team ruling
Commission ruled content did not violated defamation act
Screen grabs from Nanaa Huvafen program on Channel 13
Several officials of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has come forth, claiming that the investigative committee had ruled that Channel 13 did, in fact, violate the defamation act by broadcasting defamatory content on former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.’
The pro-Government and ruling Party aligned Channel 13 had broadcast indecent cartoons of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in their ‘Nanaa Huvafen’ program on July 9th.
The Commission on Tuesday announced that the channel did not violate broadcasting laws and ethics.
However, the officials say the investigative committee that reviewed the case, had ruled the content was defamatory in nature and that action must be taken on Channel 13.
Noting that several members of the Commission accepted the content was defamatory, the official said the decision was fixed from ‘higher ups’.
While MBC said that it had investigated the case on its own accord, RaajjeMV can confirm that the case was filed by the Commission’s Vice President Mohamed Aslam.
Speaking to RaajjeMV on Wednesday, Commission’s Secretary General Mohamed Nasih said even though the committee investigated the case, final decision will always be made by the Commission. However, he did not say whether there was a stark difference in the decisions made by the Commission and committee.
The Commission’s ruling noted the channel’s Acting Chief Executive Officer had attested the content did not specifically indicate that the individual in question was former President Maumoon.
The ruling further noted two aspects; the channel said the content only demonstrated what had happened in the past and the program only sought to educate that this should not be the way.
As such, the ruling said the content was broadcast as it was, without alterations and as facts, as per clauses 18 (a) and (c) of the Defamation Act. Therefore, as per clause 10 (a) (i) and (e) of the Act, MBC ruled that Channel 13 had not violated any measures in the law.
