Hiriga Zahir Resigns, Says Editors Guild “Paralysed” by Government Influence
Ahmed Zahir, (Hiriga Zahir) at the forum held by Maldives Journalist’s Association (MJA) on September 13, 2025 | Photo: Anoof Junaid’s X account
Veteran journalist Ahmed Zahir, also known as Hiriga, resigned as President of the Maldives Editors Guild today, citing that the organisation is “paralysed” as its governing committee is largely composed of high-ranking government officials.
In a post on his X account, the Managing Editor of Dhauru News stated that he was stepping down as the President, as he does not believe he can lead the organisation in its current state. He also expressed concern over the guild’s silence on the current environment of the media in the Maldives.
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“I am concerned the organisation has not yet made a statement against the issues the journalists and the media in the Maldives are facing,” said Zahir, one of the founding members of the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA).
Effective today, I have resigned as President of the Maldives Editors Guild. pic.twitter.com/zybS0KpLhk— Ahmed Zahir (@hirigazahir) September 15, 2025
His resignation comes at a time when the parliament is currently reviewing the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, which both local and international media organisations have been calling for to be withdrawn from the parliament. On September 3, the MJA submitted a petition signed by 151 journalists in the Maldives to both the parliament and the president, calling for the withdrawal of the bill. He has been working at the forefront of the current movement by journalists in calling for the withdrawal of the proposed bill.
