State requests court trial over RaajjeTV fine

State prosecutors have requested a court trial over RaajjeTV’s MVR 2,000 fine for suspending its regular broadcast over threats.

While prosecutors said this during the dispute resolution meeting on Tuesday, RaajjeTV’s management requested that the deadline to pay the fine be pushed back, since neither party suffered any damages due to the broadcast suspension.

After RaajjeTV’s request, the prosecutors said they needed more time to decide, and so the Civil Court scheduled another meeting for March 28.

The broadcasting commission imposed the fine on February 22nd, claiming that its suspension of broadcasting regular content violates their code of conduct. RaajjeTV has denied violating any of the commission’s regulations.

On February 8th, RaajjeTV suspended its regular broadcast during the state of emergency after receiving threats, including calls for violence against its staff and to burn down the station by a mob gathered in front of RaajjeTV.

This was backed up by public appeals to the broadcast regulator, police and military by ruling party lawmakers and senior government officials to shut down RaajjeTV.

Instead of the regular content, RaajjeTV broadcast a message which reads: RaajjeTV suspends regular broadcast due to continued threats on independent journalism, this station, and our staff, given that the police have stopped providing security and in light of the military's warning to have media outlets penalized without prior notice.

RaajjeTV has been fined several times by the commission with amounts totalling MVR 1.7 million.