The Civil Court on Sunday ruled that the hefty fine levied against local Cable TV provider Medianet, over its broadcast of the Al-Jazeera expose “Stealing Maldives”, was lawful.
Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) had issued the hefty fine of MVR 500,000 last year, after Medianet's rebroadcast of the documentary which had exposed alleged mass corruption, international money laundering and abuse of power in the Maldives. MBC had deemed the content dangerous to national security, and ordered Medianet to release a statement of apology.
Medianet had paid the staggering amount, as per the Freedom of Speech and Defamation Act which states that such fines may only be appealed after settling the payment. The cable TV provider later filed the lawsuit seeking to annul the fine.
The Civil Court finally issued its verdict last Thursday, stating that the documents and statements from both parties during the trial proved that the documentary broadcast by Medianet contained content harmful to the sovereignty and independence of the nation, under the Defamation Act.
Hence, Judge Ali Abdulla presiding over the case declared that MBC's decision to fine Medianet and demand an apology was not unlawful.
“Stealing Paradise”, spearheaded by Al-Jazeera’s investigative journalist Will Jordan, lays several major accusations on President Abdulla Yameen, which the government has rebuffed. One of the major accusations in the documentary, which has won two international awards, is of the government’s alleged involvement in money laundering, while the expose also alleges that President Yameen was behind the jail sentence of 13 years issued on convicted former President Mohamed Nasheed.
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