British Ambassador James Dauris has criticized the police service’s statement regarding Friday night’s opposition rally.
The police statement early Saturday condemned the journalists for not separating their personal views from their professional work during the “illegal gathering by politically motivated individuals,” which Ambassador Dauris noted is just another way to describe an opposition rally.
Ambassador Dauris said the statement said more than its author intended.
#Maldives Police urge journalists covering an "illegal gathering by politically motivated individuals" (that's to say an opposition rally) to keep their personal views separate from their professional work.
— James Dauris (@JamesDauris) February 17, 2018
Worth a read: the statement says more than its author probably intended. https://t.co/tJX4oZMNpX
In the statement, the police service claimed that some journalists covering the protest “were not operating as journalists at the time and that their actions were the same as that of illegal protesters.”
Police officers had targeted journalists during Friday’s rally. They were seen using pepper spray liberally and some of those covering the demonstration from a far had also been dispersed. The police brutality was aired live on numerous TV channels.
RaajjeTV journalist Hussain Hassan was severely injured during the coverage, and is now recovering at the hospital.
