Journalist Moosa Rasheed has resigned from the advisory committee of the Maldives Media Council (MMC) after the council's President Ahmed Musthafa issued a statement without informing the committee.
In his letter, Moosa said the advisory committee's role is to advise the council's President on issuing statements and providing information to the public and the media.
"However, the statement issued by the council on November 1, 2024, was issued without consultation with the committee and without the knowledge of some members of the committee, including myself," the letter stated.
The Mihaaru news journalist said there is no point in being a member of the advisory committee if the council does not seek its advice.
Pro-government activists and the state broadcaster Public Service Media have spoken against the investigative journalism award conferred to Adhadhu's "Skeelan" documentary during MMC's Journalism Awards ceremony on Wednesday night.
In a statement on Thursday night, PSM said the sudden screening of a video that did not comply with PSM's editorial policy during the Journalism Awards ceremony without prior notice was a deliberate act by the MMC.
It added that a complaint has been submitted to the Parliament. Meanwhile, MMC President Musthafa was sacked from his position at PSM, but he was later reinstated on Friday night.
Musthafa issued a statement after his reinstatement and distanced himself from organizing the awards ceremony. He also claimed there were issues with the "Skeelan" documentary. This is the statement referred to by Moosa.
The documentary was produced about President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's stepmother, Gnei Skeelan, a Sri Lankan citizen, who was blacklisted and deported from the Maldives.
The documentary featured interviews with the widow and presented evidence about her blacklisting.
Summary of the documentary:
- Skeelan and Muizzu's father Sheikh Hussain Abdul Rahman were married for 13 years
- Sheikh Hussain passed away on September 29, 2015
- Inheritance case submitted to the Family Court on October 11, 2015
- Case concluded on November 29, 2015
- Skeelan left the Maldives on January 12, 2016
- She returned on March 4, 2016 (she was blacklisted two days before that on March 2, 2016)
- Skeelan blames Muizzu
- Skeelan was blacklisted over alleged human trafficking
- No investigation conducted over the serious allegation
- No documents at the immigration department
- Skeelan says Muizzu's family cut all ties with her after she moved to Sri Lanka and blocked her on all messaging platforms
- Muizzu did not provide any assistance despite assurances of caring for her until death
