The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has resolved to reconsider the Journalism Award given to Adhadhu News for the outlet’s documentary short ‘Skeelan’, which is based around President Mohamed Muizzu’s stepmother, a citizen of Sri Lanka, and the surrounding allegations regarding her blacklisting and deportation from the Maldives.
The MMC said it had resolved on Saturday to reconsider the decision on the award for the audio-video investigative category.
The MMC initiated the process of reconsideration after supporters of the Mohamed Muizzu administration and pro-administration Members of Parliament complained to the agency.
A Timeline of the Awards Controversy
- Skeelan wins Journalism Award, drawing criticism from administration supporters
- The President of the Media Council and PSM News Operations Manager, Ahmed Mustafa, is sacked from PSM on 31 October, having been accused of showcasing a video that contradicts PSM’s editorial content—specifically, a clip from the documentary
- PSM files a complaint against MMC, saying the showing of the clip was deliberate
- The PSM board, on 1 November, reinstates Mustafa following criticism
- Mustafa, upon reinstatement on 1 November, issues a statement denying direct involvement in evaluating the awards
- MMC holds extraordinary meeting on 2 November, deciding to look into the allegations regarding the award and to determin if the award should be revoked
The judges, in a break from tradition, also issued a statement after the controversy. The statement said that the general appeal by the MMC to all outlets, made on 28 September 2023, had been issued upon the realisation that the Skeelan documentary had violated ethical standards.
Media Council Award Judges
- Mohamed Saleem (Retired Journalist)
- Shamran Shakir (Employed at Maldives Airport Company Limited-MACL)
- Hassan Amir (Retired Journalist)
- Fatima Ashwa (Photographer)
- Abdulla Naeem Ibrahim
- Abdulla Azmeen (Employed at the President’s Office)
The September 2023 statement was an appeal to the entire media community rather than to a specific agency, with no outlets or content singled out—the MMC had not stated, neither before nor since the statement, that any outlet or content related to the documentary or Adhadhu violated the media’s code of conduct, according to the news outlet.
After the documentary won the award, the MMC and the judges were criticised for issuing what has been perceived as conflicting and arbitrary statements and for considering the revocation of the award based on criticism from pro-administration groups.
