Maldives: Journalist stabbed

June 6th, 2012

A prominent journalist in the Maldives is in a critical condition in hospital after being stabbed in the neck. Ismail “Hilath” Rasheed had his throat slit by an attacker on Monday evening, with the knife missing a vital artery by millimetres. In November, the journalist’s blog was blocked by the communication authority in the Maldives, who claimed it contained “anti-Islamic” material. A hospital source gave the journalist and blogger a five percent chance of survival.

Maldives: Government shuts down blog in climate of growing religious intolerance

November 25th, 2011

The Maldivan government has ordered a ban on the blog of a freelance writer on the grounds it contained anti-Islamic material. The blog (www.hilath.com), run by independent journalist Ismail Khilath “Hilath” Rasheed, has been banned by the Communications Authority, and is said to be highly critical of religious fundamentalism. The blogger believes his site has been targeted because he is a Sufi Muslim. Rasheed plans to bring his case to court, as a website shut by the government can only be reopened by a court order.