Maldives: Are we free?
By Safa Shareef
Maldives has signed the key human rights treaties including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Nevertheless, the rights guaranteed by these international instruments remained only in a textual context but the opportunity in essence never existed.
Article 25 of the Constitution of Maldives 1997 guaranteed freedom of expression in all forms. However, many restrictions were imposed on this right solely for the purpose of ensuring that the government (Gayoom’s regime) was not criticized. The government wanted to keep the people ignorant and uninformed of the cruelties of the regime, and any sources that could possibly create such awareness, was prohibited. The license for print media was limited to only three daily newspapers and these papers were owned and run by the members in the government and the relatives of the president. The government did not permit a license for internet until late 1996. After 1996, internet was allowed only at schools for educational purposes and until 2003, majority of the people could not afford internet at the vicinity of their homes.
In 1990, a weekly newspaper Hukuru (Friday) and a monthly newspaper Sangu (conch shell) began criticizing the government exposing its corruptions. The government could not tolerate this brief period of media freedom and hence, resulted in the closing down of the two papers. The journalists were arrested and imprisoned on false charges including terrorism. Another magazine called the Manthiri (Queen, the strongest piece in the game of Chess) emerged. It was printed in Sri Lanka due to difficulties in printing in Maldives. Nevertheless, the copies were confiscated by the security forces on its arrival to Maldives. There was a time when writers used to throw printed copies into the streets late at night, when everyone was asleep. Hence, the necessity for an internet news began to surface.
Sandhaanu (Throne) was the first internet magazine in Maldives. The Throne criticized the government and addressed to issues regarding rights and freedoms. Just like the previous writers, the writers for Throne were arrested, convicted for treason and imprisoned for life. However, the situation in Maldives, drastically changed with the death of an inmate named Evan Naseem.
Evan Naseem was 19 years old and was serving jail time at Maafushi jail. On 19 September 2003, after a dispute between the security officers and inmates, Evan Naseem was removed from his cell and taken to a separate place where he was beaten up by 12 officers. He was beaten up with bare hands, wooden planks, riot batons and also kicked numerous times. When he had lost consciousness, the officers pushed a water hose in his mouth and turned on the water. When he did not respond, he was taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male’ on 20 September 2003. According to the medical reports he had died on 19 September 2003 due to injuries sustained to his lungs. When inmates of Evan Naseem found out about his death, they protested in rage and this lead to an unrest in the jail which resulted in Gayoom ordering officers to shoot in order to control the protest.
Maldives has signed the key human rights treaties including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Nevertheless, the rights guaranteed by these international instruments remained only in a textual context but the opportunity in essence never existed.
Article 25 of the Constitution of Maldives 1997 guaranteed freedom of expression in all forms. However, many restrictions were imposed on this right solely for the purpose of ensuring that the government (Gayoom’s regime) was not criticized. The government wanted to keep the people ignorant and uninformed of the cruelties of the regime, and any sources that could possibly create such awareness, was prohibited. The license for print media was limited to only three daily newspapers and these papers were owned and run by the members in the government and the relatives of the president. The government did not permit a license for internet until late 1996. After 1996, internet was allowed only at schools for educational purposes and until 2003, majority of the people could not afford internet at the vicinity of their homes.