Two foreign journalists who were arrested in the Maldives on Friday for violating immigration rules will be deported today; one of the journalists is Indian. The journalists were identified as Indian citizen Money Sharma and British National (India born) Atish Ravji Patel. They were present in the crisis hit the island nation in the Indian Ocean to cover the details of the Emergency declared by President Abdulla Yameen on February 6th.
In a statement, The Maldives Police said that the two journalists were from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and they were handed over to immigration authorities for violation of the immigration law as they were working n the Maldives during that period.
Money Sharma is a photojournalist from Punjab and Atish Patel is a video correspondent of British-Indian origin who worked for the Agence France-Presse. Both were handed over to the immigration authorities after they were arrested for the violation of the immigration law in the island nation.
Maldives government said that “We would like to note that although they [the two journalists] have been asked to leave the Maldives, no other legal steps shall be taken against them”. They further explained that all foreign nationals who are currently working in the country should obtain a legal business or work visa otherwise they will be arrested and this applied to journalists too.
The officials from the government said that the two journalists were covering the State of Emergency in the country on a tourist visa and this was illegal. They assured that no further steps will be taken against them. The government said, “All foreign nationals who are currently working in the country should obtain a legal business or work visa otherwise they will be arrested and this applied for journalists too.”
The Indian foreign ministry said that Maldivian authorities have sent the information regarding arrests of that an Indian national, Money Sharma, a journalist on Friday. The spokesperson said that they have asked embassy to get in touch with the local Maldivian authorities to ascertain more details about the case.
Mr. Nasheed had asked for India’s help to solve the serious crisis going in the island nation. India has labeled the developments disturbing and serious and said that emergency should not have been imposed in the country.
Mr. Nasheed tweeted that the President Yameen had gone after the judiciary, parliament, opposition and now he has gone after media. He said that President has been trying to silence the voice of media. Referring to a private news channel Raajje TV, he said that the channel has stopped its broadcast following multiple threats and intimidation from the security services on the orders of The President.
Rajje TV has been vocalizing its opposition against the policies of President which were against the democratic principle of the country. After stopping its broadcast, the channel said that it did so because the current environment does not allow a journalist to report independently and freely in the country.
The Maldives government while detailing the situation said that the Supreme Court has ordered that individual judges cannot decide in any case and to take any decision they have to do so by the majority if judges sitting together in a session.
