Maldives Police Service, on Friday, said the authority is seeking legal advice to investigate the matter of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) Parliamentary Group (PG) leader Ibrahim Falah calling out for some journalists to be impaled.
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
Neither Falah nor PNC has offered an apology or explanation regarding the remarks.
The case was reported to the Police by the Maldives Journalists' Association (MJA).
Police, on Friday, said they have sought legal advice from the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) on Thursday regarding investigating the case submitted to the authority by MJA regarding Falah’s remarks.
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.”