Head of news of Raaje TV Ibrahim 'Aswad' Waheed who suffered serious injuries during a brutal attack on Friday night has been taken to Sri Lanka for treatment early Saturday morning. According to Police, the reporter was attacked near artificial beach area and had been rushed to ADK hospital. Raajje TV deputy CEO Abdulla Yamin said Waheed had been brutally beaten with an iron rod while riding with him on a motor cycle. Waheed had suffered serious injuries to the head and remains in critical condition. He has not regained consciousness since the attack. Meanwhile, during the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest on Friday night, two State television TVM journalists who were covering the protest were injured when a packet filled with paint thinner was thrown at them from the crowd. A statement from Nasheed’s office has condemned the violent attacks on journalists in the strongest possible terms. Macchangoalhi-north constituency MP and Nasheed’s spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi said “President Nasheed sees this is not just an attack upon one brave journalist but an assault on everyone who believes in democracy and media freedom.” “Since last year’s coup, journalists have been repeatedly threatened, harassed and, in some instances, violently attacked by the police and by criminals. However, the authorities continue to turn a blind eye to the problem.” Nasheed’s office also called for “a swift and thorough investigation” to bring the perpetrators to justice, regardless of their political affiliation. The statement also said the attack came within 24 hours of a call at PPM rally to “murder Maldivian Democratic Party supporters” also labeling the MDP a “terrorist organization.” “Furthermore, the attack comes within a week of airing a critical report, repeated on Friday, by Waheed on former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s alleged corruption during his Presidency,” the statement read. “Since the unlawful transfer of power last year, there has been a sharp increase in violent crimes. But the police continues to pre-occupy themselves with politically motivated arrests, rather than investigating these violent crimes. Over 800 MDP supporters have been arrested in the past year. Yet, murderers, drug traffickers and gangsters are left to roam freely.” “Months have passed since brutal murder of the MP Dr Afrasheem Ali and fatal attack on liberal blogger Hillath Rasheed, without perpetrators being found. Impunity enjoyed by the security forces is creating a culture of crime that is deeply concerning.”