The government remains committed to uphold media freedom, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Taking to Twitter in commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day 2020, the president extended the day’s felicitations to all journalists.
In light of this year’s theme for the day, “Journalism without fear or favour”, the president wrote that a free media that functions without fear or favour is “crucial” during a time the Covid-19 crisis has the globe immersed in devastation when misinformation could “negatively affect” public wellbeing.
Which is why, my government remains committed to upholding media freedom”President Solih
With this being, Maldives jumped 19 ranks from its previous position, at 98th during 2019 and is currently at the 79th spot on the 2020 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This achievement was recorded during the Solih administration which pledged to improve press freedom. The country climbed up from the spot to the 79th spot within two years, under the administration of Solih
While the Yameen administration was “very hostile” to press freedom, the island nation fell increasingly in the World Press Freedom Index, from 103rd in 2013 to 120th in 2018.
One of President Solih’s first acts as president upon assuming office was to repeal the Anti-Defamation Act and formed a presidential inquiry commission, the “Commission on Deaths and Disappearances”, tasked with investigating unresolved murders and disappearances, such as the murder cases of Rilwan and Yameen.
