High Court has decided to livestream the hearings in the appeal filed at the court over the Defense Ministry’s refusal to disclose the number of Indian military personnels stationed in the Maldives.
Social media activist and ‘Dhiyares’ cofounder Ahmed Azaan requested the Defense Ministry to disclose information on foreign military personnels stationed in the Maldives. The Ministry refused to disclose the information, citing that it is considered a threat to national security. The Defense Ministry’s decision was seconded by the Information Commissioner’s Office as well.
In the first hearing held today, the Appellant requested to livestream the hearings, while the state and the Information Commissioner’s Office objected to this request.
The bench overseeing the case which includes Judge Hussain Shaheed, Judge Abdulla Hameed and Judge Hassan Shafeeu granted the Appellant’s request to livestream the hearings.
Moreover, Azaan had also requested to disclose the expenditure on them. However, the Defense Ministry stated that the disclosure of such information may adversely affect the diplomatic ties between two countries as the opposition’s ‘India Out’ garners more support across the Maldives.
