Three former Presidents gathered on Friday night to voice concern over press freedom and freedom of expression in the Maldives, but the meeting also reignited questions about their own records on media freedom while in office.

Former Presidents Abdulla Yameen, Mohamed Nasheed and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih held discussions before issuing a joint statement calling on the Government to release two journalists jailed in connection with a court ruling. They also urged authorities to withdraw a case filed against a media outlet.

However, the appeal has prompted accusations of hypocrisy, with critics pointing out that all three administrations faced allegations of restricting press freedom during their respective terms in office.

At a press conference following the meeting, the former Presidents said they would allow journalists approximately an hour for questions, with each media outlet given an opportunity to participate. Yet the event itself appeared to expose underlying divisions between the three leaders, with little indication of a unified strategy or common political direction beyond the joint statement.

Journalists used the opportunity to confront the former leaders over their past treatment of the media. Questions were raised about arrests and court cases involving journalists during Nasheed’s administration, restrictions and heavy fines imposed on media organisations under Yameen’s government, and legislation passed during Solih’s presidency that would have required journalists to disclose confidential sources despite strong opposition from the media community.

The questions appeared to place the three former Presidents in a difficult position, forcing them to acknowledge that their own governments had also faced criticism over press freedom and freedom of expression. None of the leaders, however, offered a direct response or detailed explanation regarding those past actions.

The press conference also briefly shifted toward internal political tensions, including the upcoming chairperson election of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Solih publicly endorsed Meekail Naseem while seated near Nasheed, after which Nasheed appeared keen to bring the press conference to an end.

While the meeting was presented as a united stand in defence of media freedom, it ultimately highlighted the contradictions surrounding the former Presidents’ own records on the issue.