Deported for ‘practising journalism’

 

Elwira Szczecian doesn’t remember a single summer in the last ten years that hasn’t included a trip to the Maldives. Her visits often last for up to 40 days and involve a usual mix of diving, sunbathing and photography.

This year, the Polish photographer and her businessman husband returned to their home in Rome after spending only a week in the tropics. There won’t be another trip for the next ten years – that’s the duration for which the Maldives immigration department has handed the couple a travel ban last week.

“It happened very quickly,” she says on July 31, a day after she landed in Italy. “I was in the capital city of Malé. We were standing next to the crowd [of anti-government protestors] and taking photos. That’s when the police came and arrested us.”

 The news of her arrest spread quickly on Twitter, helped by the presence of local media and bystanders who filmed the police escorting her away from the venue. The police later accused Elwira, who has occasionally worked as a photojournalist, of “practising journalism” after entering the Maldives on a tourist visa.

 But for a country that has over a million visitors from across the world every year, it’s not unusual for journalists to use the ‘visa on arrival’ facility for tourists to expedite their reportage. Although Elwira denies the charge vehemently, for observers, her detention was yet another sign of the government’s ongoing efforts to silence its dissenters.

 Before her visit this year, Elwira was aware that the country’s political climate was far from amicable. In the past year, three media outlets – news websites CNM and Addu Live, and Haveeru, the oldest newspaper in the country – were forced to shut down after a series of reportage unfavourable of the government. The past week saw at least two opposition-aligned politicians being summoned for tweeting criticism of the establishment.

 Since the last week of July, the opposition, led by the exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed, has been holding anti-government protest rallies every night. On the evening of July 28, it was one such protest that the couple stumbled on as they travelled to the capital city.

 At the police station, the two were questioned for their links to the opposition parties and the ongoing protests. Despite repeated requests, they weren’t allowed to contact a lawyer or the Polish and Italian embassies.

  After several rounds of interrogation, the two were taken to a detention centre where they were photographed, strip-searched and had their belongings taken away. 

  The next day, the police presented the couple to the criminal court and argued to extend the period of arrest. “We argued that the couple were visiting on a holiday and were staying at a resort.

 On returning to the police headquarters to collect their belongings, they were told that the immigration department has instructed them to leave the country.

 In November 2015, four journalists from German public broadcaster ARD were deported citing ‘improper permits’. 

 Elwira is yet to come to terms with being banned from her summer getaway. “In all these years, we never saw a situation so restrictive that you cannot take a photo on the street,” she says. And even if she were there as a journalist, she quips.

source-  http://maldivesindependent.com/politics/deported-for-practising-journalism-125938

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Yameen and the case of a Shattered Government!

Maldives can no longer be considered as an independent nation. The Yameen government has  totally become submissive to Saudi Royal Family & Chinese! Yameen is facing international and domestic pressure over human rights abuses and allegations of corruption.

The ‘Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act’ despite being labeled by journalists as the death of free media in the island nation was accepted with 38 MPs voting in favor on Monday.Two MPs including party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s son Faaris Maumoon voted against the bill while several MPs were absent from the sitting or had walked out just before the vote.

Several pro-government lawmakers broke the three line whip during the parliament vote on the controversial defamation bill suggesting a deep division within the ruling coalition over the move to criminalize defamation. Government-sponsored bill criminalizing defamation has drawn fierce criticism from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Amnesty International called on the government to scrap plans to enact the law, which it said would have “a stifling effect on the right to freedom of expression.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had earlier urged his party leaders to vote down the bill. Foreign minister  Dunya Maumoon had also resigned citing the difference of opinions in Governance.

Home Minister Umar Naseer had also resigned moments after lawyers representing a former def. minister, sentenced on weapons smuggling charges. In his statement Umar Naseer said that he had disagreements on many occasions. That Pres. Yameen is a man of conviction. He will not consult. He will not talk to other cabinet colleagues and discuss and bring solutions together. He will make decisions on his own. 

 Proving all such articulations right, President Yameen has reshuffled his cabinet again and replaced Home Minister Ahmed Zuhoor with former Deputy Minister of Education, Azleen Ahmed. The reasons for the sudden change remains unclear.

People who were once Pres.Yameen's allies are rapidly opposing his decisions and questioning on his capabilities as a President. Yameen is an absolute dictator and a total authoritarian. He does things as he wish does not care about citizens of Maldives.

The political situation in Maldives is shifting rapidly and the sudden decisions being taken by the President shows that he is not able to handle the situation. The coming days seems to bring some unexpected changes in the political crisis of Maldives!

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Mayday Should be back!

Maldives has always been a brave country. Though we are small in size but our courage is bigger than our hearts. Alas! Even then we were ruled by our own people consecutively for 30 years. At present too we are being ruled by a dictator and it is high time to fight against him!

I still have a yellow flag clubbed with our national flag kept in my room. Whenever I look at it, a feeling of enthusiasm emerges inside me and reminds me of 1 May 2015. I go back in time and find myself on the streets of Male, raising my voice to Free Anni and Save Maldives! Even being a girl didn't stop me from stepping out and shout in the protest. We all were hopeful. Sheikh Imran's speech filled me with hope and spirit. The country then marched together as one for just one thing, “Free President Nasheed” Yes, the dictator got scared and ordered his puppets to crackdown the march but our resolution is still intact.

On 1st May 2016, it will be an year since #EkehFaheh15 and after knowing about so many corruptions including his black magic tricks, I think there should be another large Protest. Bigger than EkehFaheh 15 .

This time we all know the tyranny's tactics and we are more stronger. Everyone has seen how pres. Yameen is shallowing Maldives. How he is just collecting money in his coffers and is letting everyone die while paying rent. We all have to unite for stopping this man and his family from bankrupting all of us. We all have to stand together to save our future !! Another MayDay protest or a bigger one then that  has to be done.

We have to show Yameen that Maldives is still brave enough to fight and win its democracy back!! 

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Silence Of The Maldivians!

Remember, when people meet and the joy it brings us with happiness wrapped like a smile. If the meeting is outside then even the bill is split equally and everyone takes home their share of memories. Oh! The happy times but Alas! We aren't talking about any of this stuff in Maldives. Here 'Jalsa' means mostly a meeting called by a political party and the word 'Bill' brings with it the fear of another law being framed to trap Maldivians.

Now a days , musical evenings are organized with free coffee, posters informing people about the next Jalsas are actively shared on social media and our Govt. is rapidly introducing life threatening bills like the criminalization of defamation in the Majlis. At present there are two groups in Maldives, 1. who don't want anyone's voice to be heard and 2. who despite of all odds, want their cries for freedom to echo in the world. Though, there is a third group too, they are the numb ones, these people are still trying to neglect the ongoing crisis in the country and refuse to take a decision by taking a stand. These people have closed their eyes and are thinking that somehow all these bills,scams,rallies, Jalsas will not effect their cocoon of dreams. But they are wrong! Because they are the ones who are both the suppressed and the suppressor. By remaining silent after watching the atrocities of this foolish government, the numb ones are taking the dictators side and by not fighting for their rights , they are also being victimized by the greedy ministers in the name of law and welfare.

What do these people think,  Have they thought , why are their so less hospitals,schools,jobs or lets say who will be paying all the loans taken by Pres.Yameen in the name of Mosques, Hospitals,Runway,Bridge etc. Who do they think will protect them when gangs will roam freely on the streets of Maldives. (Do they still expect police to do so) Who will be providing them clean drinking water or will pay their rents ? Will the Government do that? Don't they want to know about the money that has been given as bribes to the Ministers or how did Pres. Yameen acquire so much funds to organize his presidential campaigns at such a large scale? Who gave him all that money and why?no future in Maldives? That why there are no prominent opportunities other than for tourism in Maldives?

Today, I won't answer these questions as I want each reader to answer it for themselves. As present is when no Maldivian can ignore this situation , when everyone needs to take a stand . No matter what it is but there has to be a black and white in Maldives.

So either go to a jalsa or read about the latest bill introduced in Majlis but decide and support whatever you think is right according to YOU!!!

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When Dictatorship Couped DEMOCRACY!!!

Looking at my news-feed on Twitter today , I felt disgusted. There were stories about an innocent man abused in a Mosque, more leaders being arrested for stupid reasons, mysterious murders and the same old corruption games by our President. The annoyance of not being able to change things took a toll on me. Being a self acclaimed social media warrior , its the first time I felt that its not fruitful. Yes, it helps us in reaching out to people but if it doesn't change something on the ground then its useless.

At present our country is in a political made disaster . We all are screaming hard but not loud enough. They are just a handful greedy people due to which we all are suffering. My question is that after so many disclosures of corruption, murders etc, Why are we still comparatively calm?

I remember when PPM sponsored a coup against Mohamed Nasheed . How these PPM goons came so aggressively on streets. How they raised their voice against democracy. The memories are fresh, when dictatorship couped democracy. It was a black day for Maldives which followed only darker days afterwards.

According to me, we all should learn from them. Their compassion for destroying our country should be our passion to save Maldives from these beasts now.

Until and unless, we won't forget about our personal problems and fight for Maldives, we won't be able to live freely. This country is not PPM's estate where they could do anything according to their wish. But unfortunately, our president Yameen is doing exactly the same. So, the decision is yours now whether you want to continue complaining or to be the change that will save Maldives!!!

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Refuse to be Enslaved by Dictatorship!!

Today a feeling of aggression is creating havoc inside me. After listening the news of Sheikh Imran's imprisonment for 12 years, it seemed as if someone is telling me to keep my mouth shut. That even our law restricts our freedom of speech and has showed us an example of their extremism in doing so. The reason behind Sheikh Imran's imprisonment in itself is an act of terrorism . This man just encouraged everyone to fight for their rights and wished peace with justice for Maldives. But what did he got? Prison.

Earlier too, people who showed courage by speaking the truth or fought for morality were either imprisoned,threatened or murdered.

While watching all this , it has become difficult for me to just sit in the comfort of my home, continue to pay rent and remain a slave of this Government. It makes me angry that not enough has been done from my side to stop these things.

Almost all the main opposition leaders are in prison. This government is mocking Maldives by celebrating democracy week when Maldives is continued to be ruled by a dictator. They are laughing at us by not fulfilling our basic needs in the fields like Health,Education ,Safety etc. The Government or Pres.Yameen are making merry from our money through corruption. Our country is being ruled by beasts. PPM and Pres.Yameen are a bunch of beasts, hungry for our money.

And from now, my pledge is to not only raise my voice against them but also to be persistent in my actions.

Coz, from today I refuse to be enslaved by PPM and tolerate their nuisances.

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Does Maldives deserve Prez. Yameen ???

For 30 consecutive years, we were ruled by a dictator but at the moment we are being fooled by one. President Yameen seems more of a burglar than a representative of our nation.

In the past few weeks there has been news of Yameen's involvement in different cases like Rilwan's abduction , Dr. Afrasheem's murder, Money laundering, Drug trafficking, selling our islands etc. Eminent leaders like Ali Waheed and Dr. Jameel also accused him of corruption along his wife.

The hospitals and schools of our country are underdeveloped due to lack of funds but the Government is buying private jet for Prez. Yameen. We are dying while paying our house rents,women are being abused, crime rate is increasing day and night. Youth is going towards hell through abusing drugs. And thanks to the Govt. because its taking more loans to burden us.

Do we deserve such governance ?

Is Prez. Yameen a right man to lead our nation ?

Is Maldives safe in his hands ?

We all know the answers and its a shame that we are not doing enough to change this scenario. Significant people have been either killed or jailed for saying anything against this dark regime. Still there are people who continue to fight and it is all happening for our sake. 

Therefore, its time for us to gather all our courage and become the light which will tear off this cloak of Yameen's dark regime!!!

Maldives needs to be saved by MALDIVIANS NOW!!!!

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