''Sandhaanu'' (meaning ''Throne'' in English) was an online political news magazine in the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

. It was launched in 1999. Its main editor Ahmed Didi together with his main contributors Ibrahim Lutfy and Mohamed Zaki were sentenced to life in prison while another editor (Fathimath Nisreen) to 10 years in prison in 2003 for their criticism of President

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (; dv, މައުމޫން ޢަބްދުލް ޤައްޔޫމް; born 29 December 1937) is a Maldivian politician and an Islamic scholar who served as the President of Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Trans ...

and his government. One of their contributors (Ibrahim Lutfy) managed to escape from prison and went under the protection of the Swiss government. The others remained in prison and suffered torture and isolation constantly before being released due to the threat of

economic sanctions Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they may ...

by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

against the Maldivian Government. Hence, as a show of cooperation to the EU, the Maldives Government released the remaining editors one by one erasing all criminal charges brought against them. At the end of 2006, they started an online version of their news magazine which has gained popularity among Maldivians living abroad. By 2007 they had started the production of their own weekly magazine which was mostly is seen as a magazine opposed to Gayoom's Government. When Gayoom was ousted from power ''Sandhaanu'' became a pro-government magazine focusing on various areas of concern in the country. However, it was closed in 2008.

References

External links

Editors of an electronic newsletter sentenced to life in prisonBBC News: Maldives leader frees dissidentsSandhaanu Maldivian News Media
Defunct political magazines Magazines established in 1999 Magazines disestablished in 2008 Mass media in the Maldives News magazines published in Asia Online magazines {{Maldives-stub