MJA Files Urgent Police Case Over Threats and Harassment of Journalists, Calls for Adequate Protection

MALÉ, MALDIVES — The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has formally lodged a case with the Maldives Police Service (MPS), calling for an urgent investigation and immediate, adequate security protection for a group of Maldivian journalists facing severe online harassment and coordinated smear campaigns over their coverage of the controversial Eagle Hills Rasmalé project.

In an official letter addressed to Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed, the MJA expressed deep concern over the wave of abuse directed at journalists who traveled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a media tour organized by the UAE-based developer Eagle Hills regarding the Rasmalé development project.

According to the MJA, several actors on social media have been actively circulating photographs and producing targeted videos to incite hatred against the journalists. The online campaigns have subjected the reporters to severe verbal abuse—branding them as "traitors," "Zionists," and "Jews" to vilify them—alongside ongoing harassment over the angle and manner of their reporting from Dubai. This targeted campaign has culminated with serious threats of physical harm, injury, and death against the journalists in question.

The association emphasized that while journalists operate in accordance with the editorial standards and policies of their respective media houses, subjecting individual reporters to targeted hostility for carrying out their professional duties is entirely unacceptable. The MJA noted that the escalating vitriol has instilled deep fear among the targeted journalists and their families, posing a credible threat to their personal safety. Furthermore, the letter highlighted that online harassment against media professionals across social media platforms had already been on an alarming rise even prior to the UAE trip.

In its official filing, the MJA requested the Maldives Police Service to:

• Treat the complaint as a matter of urgent priority and launch a formal investigation into the individuals and groups behind the smear campaigns.

• Conduct an immediate security risk assessment for the affected journalists.

• Arrange adequate police protection to ensure the safety of the journalists and their families.

Speaking on the decision to escalate the matter to law enforcement, MJA President Naaif Ahmed condemned the attacks and called for swift action from the authorities:

No journalist should have to fear for their personal safety or the well-being of their families simply for doing their job. Circulating photos of reporters, branding them as traitors, and running organized smear campaigns to intimidate them is a dangerous attack on press freedom. Disagreements over editorial stances must never cross the line into targeted harassment and threats. We urge the Maldives Police Service to treat this matter with the utmost urgency, hold the perpetrators accountable, and ensure immediate protection for our colleagues.

Alongside its appeal to law enforcement, the MJA also called on all media outlets and editorial leadership across the country to maintain a strict and transparent separation between sponsored content and independent news and commentary. Referencing the Journalists' Code of Ethics, the association reminded media houses of their fundamental obligation to uphold editorial independence and clearly label sponsored or promotional material, ensuring that commercial arrangements do not compromise public trust or place working journalists in vulnerable positions.

The MJA reiterated its commitment to defending the rights and safety of media professionals across the country and urged the public to refrain from actions that endanger journalists in the line of duty.