A senior journalist from Mihaaru, one of the most prominent news outlets in Maldives, has resigned due to government influence including direct orders from President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
Moosa Rasheed's five-page resignation letter, which said Mihaaru does not have the environment for free journalism and that "it is very difficult to sit inside the newsroom after taping my mouth", has been leaked on social media.
Some Mihaaru journalists confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Moosa Rasheed at a press conference. -- Photo: People's Majlis
According to the letter addressed to Mihaaru owner Vaail Zahir Hussain, news and feature articles were being edited and deleted through government influence and some articles were being withheld from publication.
Moosa said journalists cannot criticise the government while ministers and other government officials call editors to change articles.
“The most senior editors have told me and individual journalists that they were directly contacted by the President to change news articles and comments," he alleged on the fourth page of the letter.
When an article criticizes government policies, the government orders the article to be changed in such a way that the people are to be blamed while journalists who criticize government officials are isolated from covering those topics.
His letter said journalist Asima Nizar was isolated from covering Aasandha and related issues after she tagged National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) CEO Heena Waleed in a post on X because of not providing information.
Among the news articles deleted under government influence, Moosa's letter mentioned the news about the expenses of Muliaage, the President's official residence, disclosed by the President's Office under the Right to Information Act.
"The editors did not explain why the story was taken down. Many journalists have experienced such things," he said.
Even reports that do not directly criticize the government include sentences that praise the government and the President, Moosa said, adding that reporters are prevented from reporting the real economic situation.
Moosa said the Mihaaru management does not guarantee that the situation will change and that he believes the government will expand its efforts to control Mihaaru in the future.
"I believe the current management and editors are not trying to stop those influences," he said.
