Fearless pursuit of truth by journalists vital: Former President Solih

Maldives, now more than ever, needs its journalists to be fearless in the pursuit of truth, said former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a post on X, on the occasion of press freedom day.

"The role played by a free and independent press as guardians of democracy cannot be overstated. To prevent a reversal of our democratic gains, Maldives needs its journalists to be even more fearless in the pursuit of the truth - now more than ever," Solih said.

Each year, May 3 is observed as press freedom day.

This year Maldives ranked 104th out of 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index by by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), with a score of 52.46. This is an improvement from its 106th position in 2024. However, there is no notable change in score, and the country remains classified among challenging environments for practicing journalism.