Malé, Maldives – The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has strongly condemned the threats made against a senior editor and journalist of Dhauru News following the publication of an article titled “Siyam and Hilton: Red Warning to Investors” on April 6, 2023.
The author of the article, Ahmed Naaif, and the senior editor received multiple death threats through phone calls and messages after the article was published.
The article reported on a Singapore arbitration case involving Hilton and Sun Travels, a company owned by Ahmed Siyam, a member of parliament from the Meedhoo constituency.
The article had apparently upset Siyam, who called the senior editor of Dhauru News and asked for the article to be removed immediately.
Later that day, the author and senior editor received multiple threats, including death threats, through messages and phone calls from several numbers.
Messages sent to Naaif and the editor’s phones in the evening threatened to confront them on the street.
Naaif was also warned to leave the country within five days or face consequences. In response to the threats, a complaint has been filed with the Maldives Police Service on behalf of Dhauru and Naaif.
The MJA has called on the authorities to investigate the matter immediately and bring those responsible to justice.
MJA said in its statement that it is concerned that politically influential persons are involved in the case.
MJA also added that the police have so far failed to conduct successful investigations into any such threats to journalists and have not been able to identify the perpetrators and take action.
The union called on the Maldives Police Service to ensure a safe and secure environment for journalists by investigating threats against journalists and taking immediate action against the perpetrators.
MJA also said that they believe the failure to find and punish those who obstruct the work of journalists in various ways serves as an indirect incentive to those who plan such crimes and encourages them to repeat such acts.
