Former Attorney General Dhiyana Saeed had provided the means by which to Raajje Television’s former journalist, Aala Ibrahim, who was fined on defamation charges to pay her fine.

Aala and Raajje Television were fined MVR 50,000 and 200,000 respectively for having broadcasted a news report that conveyed the concerns of a rape victim, who believed that an influential state employee was hindering the investigation into her case.

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission’s had initially forwarded Aala’s case to the police pursuing criminal action after the first deadline given to her in March had passed. However, she filed for review citing that she had not been given adequate opportunity to respond to the charges.

The commission had upheld its initial ruling after the review as well.  

Aala is the first journalist to have been fined under the Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act, a government-sponsored bill which criminalized slander in 2016.