Male’, Maldives – Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom) has notified Channel 13 to issue a public apology statement, following a program broadcasted by the channel in which a caller called to have the President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to be burned.
Addressing the issue, BroadCom stated that in carrying out an independent and unbiased investigation of the matter, the opportunity to present a defense was provided to the defending party, as in alignment to the constitution of the country and other rights granted within it.
Broadcom also stated that a response was received by the commission in writing, from Channel 13, which stated that the matter is being investigated by Maldives Police Service as a matter of urgency and that three employees of the company have also been interrogated in relation to the matter. It further read that, should BroadCom take action against the channel, it would mean that two punishments have been issued for the same crime, which is unconstitutional.
However, finding that Channel 13 has violated three areas of the code of conduct in broadcasting the content, the Commission notified the channel to publish an unconditional apology prior to airing the programme “Rayyithunge Adu” – which was the programme in which the call to burn the president was made – for two days, prior to 14th September 2020, and well as on two days prior to 14th September 2020, between 20:00 and 21:00.
