Malé, Maldives – Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and MP of Addu North Consistency Mohamed Aslam has confirmed that the Committee will not try to find the identity for the Mihaaru news report on which the Committee is currently investigating into due to leaked details of Speaker Nasheed’s residential security.
The Parliamentary Committee on National Security stated that the report contains information regarding Former President and Current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed which is known only to his security and defense force. They added that this the publication of this information may prove to be a danger for the Speaker’s security.
The Committee is investigating into this matter as revealing this security information with others in addition those mandated by the law is not permitted. The Maldives Media Council and Maldives Journalist Association expressed their concern over this matter saying that trying to reveal the identity of the informant or investigating on the journalist who wrote the report is a violation of journalist rights.
MMC stated that the calls from MDP and parliamentary members to reveal the source behind the Mihaaru report on Former Pres. Nasheed’s residential security has come to their attention. MMC stated that the freedom to journalism is a right provided by the Constitution of Maldives and that no authority can force anyone to reveal their informant behind a certain information.
MMC further said that such an investigation would be a step back while the media has been making certain progressions in the press freedom index. They also stated that this will be an obstacle in the promotion of investigative journalism and that they highly condemn any such investigation which goes against the spirit of journalism.
In addition to this, MMC confirmed that they have contacted the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and MP of Addu North Consistency Mohamed Aslam and has confirmed that neither the journalist or the informant behind the report will be investigated.
