Journalists have expressed concern over the lack of response to their requests under the Right to Information (RTI).
Some journalists who spoke to Adhadhu said that the authorities do not comply although the law requires government ministries and state institutions to respond.
Ahmed Zahir (Hirigaa), a prominent senior journalist in Maldives, said that ignoring RTI requests has always been a concern.
"As a journalist, it's always a concern when things happen in a way that stops information. That concern still exists," Hirigaa said.
Editor of Hurihaa Abdullah Jameel Ahmed said a hearing is due because the information had not been provided for an RTI request.
Jameel said some institutions do not provide information even when asked by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM).
"They only say they are transparent and law-abiding. They don't show it in action. Even when we ask for very simple information, the deadline goes by. Even the President's Office has withheld information on many things," he said.
Editor of Mihaaru Ahmed Hamdhoon said information has been withheld for some RTIs citing national security grounds.
"There are some things that are not available citing national security. For example, there are things that are not available in defense [ministry] and finance [ministry]," he said.
Asima Nizar, also an editor from Mihaaru, said she had received responses to many RTIs, but it was a concern that RTIs had to be submitted for information.
"RTI submitted to IGMH and an RTI for the number of employees of the residence of Majlis Speaker Abdul Raheem has not been answered. There is no need to submit RTIs for simple matters. It is an issue if we have to submit RTI," she said.
A total of 1,027 complaints were filed with ICOM over the last 10 years for not getting answers to RTIs or being dissatisfied with the answers received.
