Parliament passes to remove Zaina from broadcasting commission

The parliament has on Monday voted to remove Fathmath Zaina from the Maldives Broadcasting Commission.

56 MPs voted in favor of her removal, while one voted against.

The parliament’s independent institutions’ committee passed to remove Zaina and MBC President Mohamed Shaheeb last week, after finding them negligent in fulfilling duties.

Following the committee's decision, Shaheeb sent in his resignation to the President’s Office the next day.

Both Shaheeb and Zaina were appointed to the commission in April 2016, and were criticized for their gross violations against press freedom in the Maldives.

Zaina was appointed vice president in June this year, following the resignation of then-VP Ismail Sofwan.

While the Maldives Broadcasting Commission comprises of seven members, there are now four vacant spots in the commission following Zaina’s removal. Member Hassan Nabaah also resigned from the commission in June.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has forwarded two nominations for MBC to the parliament, to replace Sofwan and Nabaah.

The entire broadcasting commission had been subject to public scrutiny during former President Abdulla Yameen’s tenure, for restricting media freedom, enabling the government’s persecution of independent media and targeting certain media outlets with the draconian Anti-Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act.

Since last year’s presidential elections, Shaheeb had admitted to not being fair in their investigations into defamation complaints, and using the law "to target a certain TV channel.”

Private broadcaster Raajje Television was fined a total of MVR 3.7 million -in four occasions- from the introduction of the law in August 2016, to a month before the 2018 presidential elections.

Repealing the law was one of President Solih’s first work, since assuming office in November 2018.