RaajjeTV has kick started a new Dignity Fund, following the MVR 1 million penalty levied on the channel over content which Broadcasting Commission claimed had defamed the President. The channel had also started a petition calling for a review of the Commission.

The first contributions came from Hithadhoo South Constituency MP Ali Nizar and Kulhudhuffushi North Constituency MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, who donated MVR 50,000 each to the Fund.

Speaking after opening the Fund, Ghafoor said their initiative proved that both north and south of Maldives was in solidarity with RaajjeTV. He said RaajjeTV was an essential part of fostering democracy in the Maldives.

Nizar said that RaajjeTV was an instrumental in media field in the country. He said the day Dr. Afrasheem was assassinated and the day RaajjeTV was torched were two of the saddest days in the nation’s history.

RaajjeTV COO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa said that this Fund was opened due to contributions from public. He stated that this was an immense help in overcoming the challenges the channel faced.

Referring to the content on which the channel was penalized, Fiyaz said the video will clearly show that no individual was defamed. As such, he said the penalty was an unjust one and part of a timeline of attacks laid out against the station. COO assured the channel will, in spite of the penalties, continue their commitment to fair, ethical and transparent reportage.

RaajjeTV’s News Director Ali Yoosuf said that the channel always prioritized on free and fair reportage, with a special focus on bringing the news live. He added that the Defamation laws were aimed at RaajjeTV and it was the first recipient of such a case. He said the MVR 1 million fine was imposed solely to decimate the channel.

In response to the penalties, the channel had started a petition which is to be submitted to the Parliament calling for a review of the Commission.

RaajjeTV was penalized by MVR 1 million last Thursday over speech broadcast as part of a live coverage. The content in question involved a live broadcast of a rally held by Maldivian United Opposition in MDP headquarters on 26th October 2016. In the rally, a guest speaker had expressed his sentiments, which had been quoted in the report sent in by the Commission.

The MVR 1 million fine came mere hours after RaajjeTV paid the MVR 200,000 fine on a previous Defamation charge.