Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson Hassan Latheef has said that the Maldives Broadcasting Commission has to pay the MVR 2 million fine it imposed on RaajjeTV.

The opposition party’s chair said this in front of the TV station on Friday at the official opening of RaajjeTV’s ‘defamation’ fund.

Hassan Latheef accused the commission of penalizing TV stations unlawfully and said that RaajjeTV is ‘undoubtedly’ owed compensation.

“But compensation should not be taken from the people through taxes. The people should not have to give compensation. Therefore, it cannot be done through the budget. But the people in the institutions behind those actions should be individually held responsible. Compensation should be taken from their hands.”

Hassan Latheef noted that RaajjeTV has been fined four times and said that the government of the opposition coalition will provide compensation and will prosecute those individuals responsible. He said that broadcasting commission president Mohamed Shaheeb should take responsibility in the way of taking compensation from the fines from his income.

He also said that the commission is working to censor the opposition’s activities and that despite such obstructions, social media is still available to them.

He added that neither RaajjeTV nor any other TV station will be intimidated.