The President’s Office on Tuesday night condemned arson threats made against Raajje TV and Channel 13.
The threats are under investigation as a serious case, police said.
“The Maldivian government strongly condemns threats against media outlets, particularly those made anonymously through social media and phone calls,” the President’s Office said.
In a social media post last night, police said an investigation has been launched after threats made to damage some TV stations came to its attention.
“Threats made against persons and property, especially threats to harm a person’s life or media outlets, are cases that this service investigates as serious cases of a special priority,” police said.
The cases are under investigation jointly by the police Serious and Organized Crime and Cyber Crime departments.
The threat to set fire to Raajje TV was made through Instagram to journalist Laisha Ahmed. The message also threatened violence against Laisha.
The threat against Channel 13 made through Facebook in a comment made on a news article about the threat to torch Raajje TV on Sunday.
After the threat, Raajje TV sent a letter to Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau and asked for an investigation. Raajje TV noted the police failure to take adequate measures when threats were reported before the TV station was torched 11 years ago.
"Before the act of terrorism carried out on that day with a group of people setting fire to the building that Raajje TV was providing our service from, after receiving information about suspicions that such an incident could occur and brought, Raajje TV brought it to the attention of the Maldives Police Service in writing," Raajje TV said.
Mohamed Meead, a suspect charged over the Raajje TV arson, was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on December 16, 2021.
Earlier on Tuesday, both the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) and Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) condemned the threats of arson and called for investigations.
