Court gives State week to prepare for RaajjeTV 500k fine case

The Civil Court has given the State a week to prepare a response to the appeal case on RajjeTV's MVR 500,000.

RaajjeTV was fined MVR 500,000 on 8th October for allegedly broadcasting content that "threatens national security".

It was regarding comments made by Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Musthafa on a live TV show on 28th July.

The case is currently in the dispute resolution phase in which the two parties will attempt to come to resolution without judiciary intervention.

At the first dispute resolution meeting on Tuesday, the State appealed for more time to prepare a response.

RaajjeTV first appealed the broadcasting commission's fine on October 15, seeking to nullify the decision to fine the station by highlighting that it had violated judicial and legal means.

However, the case was rejected by the Civil Court after noting that it can only be appealed after paying the fine as per the Anti-Defamation and Freedom of Expression Law.

Hence, after paying the fine on November 5, RaajjeTV re-filed the case at Civil Court, which was accepted on November 16.

The station has been fined thrice this year under the controversial defamation law introduced in August 2016. The first fine, MVR 200,000, was imposed in March, while a second fine of MVR 1 million was imposed the same day it paid the first fine. All three cases have been appealed to the Civil Court.