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 ...

ranks from the middle to the top third of international indexes of

press freedom Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exerci ...

, indicating a large degree of freedom. Media discussion of religion, however, remains tightly restricted.

Indexes

In the 2011

Freedom House Freedom House is a non-profit, majority U.S. government funded organization in Washington, D.C., that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights. Freedom House was founded in October 1941, and Wendell Wil ...

Freedom of the Press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic News media, media, especially publication, published materials, should be conside ...

annual report, the Maldives scores a 50, or "partly free". In 2023,

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; french: Reporters sans frontières; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as found ...

ranked the Maldives as having the 100th freest press in the world (of 180 ranked nations).

Ismail Khilath Rasheed controversy

In November 2011, the blog of journalist

Ismail Khilath Rasheed Ismail Khilath Rasheed (also known as Hilath) is a Maldivian blogger known for his support of religious tolerance and his involvement in several national controversies. Reporters Without Borders has described him as a "leading journalist" and "on ...

was shut down by Communications Authority of the Maldives (CAM) on the order of the

Ministry of Islamic Affairs A Ministry of Islamic Affairs is a Ministry found in certain Islamic countries that is responsible for advising the government on religious matters, and particularly on efforts to conform government efforts to the requirements of Islam. Examples in ...

, on the grounds that the site contained "anti-Islamic material". Rasheed, a self-professed

Sufi Muslim Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...

, had argued for greater religious tolerance. The blog closing was condemned by Reporters Without Borders and

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, commonly known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the United Nations Human Rights Office, is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nati ...

Navanethem Pillay Navanethem "Navi" Pillay (born 23 September 1941) is a South Africa, South African jurist who served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. A South African of Indian people, Indian Tamils, Tamil origin, she wa ...

as representing a rise in religious intolerance. When Rasheed organized a rally in favor of greater religious freedom on 10 December, the rally was attacked and Rasheed's skull fractured. He was subsequently arrested at the urging of the orthodox Sunni

Adhaalath Party The Adhaalath Party ( dv, ޢަދާލަތު ޕާޓީ; , AP) is a political party in the Maldives. History The AP was registered as a political party in August 2005, when political parties were allowed to operate for the first time following widesp ...

, which also organized a counter-demonstration on 23 December to protect Islam. Rasheed was released on 10 January following protests by groups such as

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...

(which named him a prisoner of conscience) and Reporters Without Borders on his behalf.

Anti-gov news websites blocked

On 22 December 2023, CAM blocked 2 anti-gov news websites which caused massive outrage and after 4 days which caused major rights groups in the archipelago to condemn the blocking. It was later unblocked after 4 days of major criticism of the government.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Censorship In Maldives

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

Politics of the Maldives Human rights abuses in the Maldives