Yameen’s advise to President: Correct your conduct instead of blaming the media

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has advised President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to correct his personal conduct rather than blaming the media.

This statement follows a police raid on the office of the online news outlet “Adhadhu” on Monday night in connection with its video documentary “Aisha,” which raised serious allegations against President Muizzu. While officials entered the premises with a court, a substantial amount of equipment was seized during the raid.

Moreover, travel ban orders have been issued against Adhadhu’s Chief Executive Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Managing Editor Hassan Mohamed in connection with the police investigation.

In a message to the media on Tuesday, Yameen criticized the government’s handling of the matter, stating, “Do not blame the media; correction your conduct.”

The case has sparked condemnation the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), which accused the government of crossing a clear red line, and demanded an immediate end to the intimidation of journalists and the suppression of press freedom.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC) remains silent over the incident. The commission’s president Mohamed Farushath has been unresponsive to repeated phone calls and messages seeking a comment.

Opposition parties have likewise expressed concern, with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) characterizing the operation as a direct affront to journalism and condemning it in the strongest possible terms. This development follows reports that MMBC has instructed “Channel 13” to suspend live broadcasts of rallies organized by Yameen’s party, the People’s National Front (PNF).

While concerns regarding constraints on press freedom were also evident during Yameen’s own administration, the former President has more recently adopted a pronounced stance in support of safeguarding press freedom.