Home Minister Ali Ihsaan has stated that no journalists who protested in the President’s Office area yesterday have been arrested. The Home Minister said this in response to former President Mohamed Nasheed’s call to release journalists arrested during yesterday’s protest near the President’s Office, which was held to express dissatisfaction with the Media Control Bill. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) following President Nasheed’s statement, the Minister said that when journalists protested near the President’s Office yesterday, that area was designated as a Green Zone.
The Minister stated that Green Zone areas are places where gatherings and protests are prohibited, and that the incident of moving journalists away from that area occurred after repeatedly advising them to leave the area and their non-compliance with police orders.
During yesterday’s protest in the President’s Office area, 4 journalists were taken into police custody. However, the police released the journalists shortly after. Journalists protested near the President’s Office yesterday to express their concerns regarding the Media Bill currently submitted to the People’s Majlis (Parliament) and to bring it to the government’s attention.
