The government has refused to disclose the names of the military agreements with India despite President Mohamed Muizzu's pledge to disclose the entire agreement.
Social media activist Midhuam Saud submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Defense Ministry in July. He was seeking to obtain a list of the military agreements signed with India from 2018 to 2023 and the duration of each agreement.
He also wanted to know if any agreements had been extended, with their names, dates and durations. But he did not request details or a copy of any of the agreements.
But, the Defense Ministry cited Articles 22(b), 25(b) and 29 of the RTI Act as a reason for keeping the information confidential.
The ministry said both Maldives and India have agreed to maintain confidentiality of agreements. The ministry said this means any extension of the agreements can be made public with the consent of both countries.
"Such information is also relevant to national security and cannot be disclosed in accordance with Article 22(b), Article 25(b) and Article 29 of Law No. 1/2014 (Right to Information Act)," the ministry stated.
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In a post on social media X, Midhuam wrote that the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government leaders were labeled as traitors for not disclosing the military agreements with India.
"[Ruling People's National Congress] PNC extends the SAME deals → they aren’t traitors, they didn’t compromise sovereignty! I refuse to be someone who changes my principles just because the government changes. You shouldn’t either," he wrote.
