Ruling PNC’s parliament group leader, Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah has defended remarks he made during a parliamentary sitting, suggesting journalists should be executed by ulubeyndhun or impalement, an ancient torture and execution method, citing ulubeyndhun is meant to raise “misbehaved” people to a place higher than the ground.
Falah had made the remarks during the preliminary parliamentary debate on Wednesday on the contentious government-backed media control bill. The Parliament majority leader’s suggestion that journalists should be executed by ulubeyndhun or impalement - an ancient torture and execution method - sparked widespread condemnation
Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has filed a case with Maldives Police Service over Falah’s remarks.
Police, on Friday, said the authority is seeking legal advice from the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate the case filed by PGO.
Falah shared a screenshot of the news written by Sun on the matter, defending himself. In this regard, he said if he were to be jailed over his remarks, his cellmates would be the presidents during opposition MDP’s administrations, the party’s lawmakers and journalists.
He said this is because there are no other individuals who have violated the principles of the Islamic religion and advocated to bring other religions to the Maldives apart from the Islamic religion.
“I have never advocated for anyone’s execution. In my region, ulubeyndhun is defined as raising misbehaved people to a place higher than the ground,” the ruling party lawmaker said in his defense, despite ulubeyndhun being defined in Radheef, the Dhivehi dictionary, as an ancient torture and execution method.
Falah's remarks have been condemned by journalists and many others.
Journalists gathered at the President's Office on Thursday to protest against the Media Bill, as they did Wednesday. When the President left office, journalists followed him with questions until he entered Muliaage, the presidential residence.
When asked repeatedly by several journalists about Falah's remarks, the President only said, “I will look into it”.
Notably, journalists who attended a sit-down with President Muizzu on Thursday afternoon to share their concerns regarding the bill said that he said he found Falah’s remarks “regrettable.”