RaajjeTV journalist Mohamed Fazeen released
Fazeen was arrested moments before they apprehended two other members of RaajjeTV’s staff
RaajjeTV journalist Mohamed Fazeen being escorted into custody near a demonstration on Friday, 16th March
RaajjeTV journalist Mohamed Fazeen, who was arrested near a demonstration calling for President Abdulla Yameen’s release in capital city Malé, has been released.
Fazeen was arrested moments before they apprehended two other members of the same station’s staff, Head of Programmes Amir Saleem and journalist Mohamed Wisam, on separate allegations.
RaajjeTV’s lawyer says Fazeen was apprehended under the ongoing state of emergency but was first told that the arrest was made over the journalist ‘disobeying police orders’.
Police have not revealed their reason for Amir and Wisam’s arrest but has confirmed that its in relation to an ongoing investigation.
After the three RaajjeTV staff were apprehended, police revealed that three individuals have been arrested over their investigation into a video depicting masked men making anti-government statements.
The station has released a statement expressing concern over the allegations made against its staff and has maintained their innocence.
“The allegations are false and an attempt to slander this station…we have never encouraged or been party to any illegal activity” the statement says.
The station has described authorities to have an incessant aim to silence the them, highlighting instances where its staff and property have been put under threat.
Fazeen himself had been the author of an article that the Maldives Broadcasting Commission investigated in a case they began investigating in August last year, under authority of the contentious and ‘draconian’ anti-defamation law.
