RaajjeTV inquires MBC on the grounds on which it conducts its own investigations

Raajje Television has asked the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) to enlighten it on the procedures on which the Commission conducts its own investigations, as well as how it imposes fines under the Anti-Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act.

A letter sent to MBC, signed by RaajjeTV’s COO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, inquired about the procedures in which the Commission instigates an investigation out of its own volition as well as whether another local broadcaster had also aired the content for which RaajjeTV was fined MVR one million under the Act.

The fine was levied on April 6, for having aired live speech at an opposition rally that MBC ‘believes’ to be defamatory towards President Abdulla Yameen, after an inquiry conducted on its own initiative. The content in question was part of a speech by an opposition politician at a rally held by the Maldives United Opposition (MUO) on October 26, 2016.

The content in question, which MBC concluded as defamatory are;

• “Take a look at any of the project started out by Abdulla Yameen. Few projects such as a pigeon park was completed”, “there are no airports, flats, airports of any other projects created by him’, “over the space of three years, how many billion Rufiyaa was handed over by the state coffers to him, nothing done”, and “we had received nothing but theft, corruption and pain”.

In the letter, RaajjeTV noted that compliance monitoring is to be done by the Commission, adding that it believes that MBC ‘must ensure that no other TV stations in the country had aired the content in question’ before issuing such a hefty fine on the station.

Noting that it has received definite proof that another local broadcaster had aired the same content as RaajjeTV on 26th October 2016, RaajjeTV emphasized that MBC, in making its decision, must have confirmed whether another station had aired the content in question or not.

“We ask the Commission if its investigation included whether another local TV station had aired the same content,” RaajjeTV asked in the letter.

The MVR one million fine was issued hours after it paid the previous fine of MVR 250,000, also under the Defamation Act.

RaajjeTV has said that it does not believe the Commission’s decision to fine the station was fair, saying that it is a direct attack on the station. RaajjeTV reopened its 'Dignity Fund' on Wednesday, and has also started a petition calling to review the members of the Broadcasting Commission.