''Sandhaanu'' (meaning ''Throne'' in English) was an online political news magazine in the

Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...

. It was launched in 1999. Its main editor Ahmed Didi together with his main contributors Ibrahim Luthfee and

Mohamed Zaki Dato' Mohamad Zaki (born 20 February 1952), also known as Nazaki Zaki or Sandhaanu Zaki, is a businessman and politician in the Maldives. Zaki previously served as the chairman of the Maldives Ports Limited from 2019 to 2020, as well as the hig ...

were sentenced to life in prison while another editor, Fathimath Nisreen, to 10 years in prison in 2003 for their criticism of President

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ( ; born Abdulla Maumoon Khairi; 29 December 1937) is a Maldivian politician, statesman, diplomat and scholar who served as the 3rd president of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. He previously served as the Minister of Tra ...

and his government. One of their contributors (Ibrahim Luthfee) managed to escape from prison and went under the protection of the Swiss government. The others remained in prison and suffered torture and isolation constantly before being released due to the threat of

economic sanctions Economic sanctions or embargoes are Commerce, commercial and Finance, financial penalties applied by states or institutions against states, groups, or individuals. Economic sanctions are a form of Coercion (international relations), coercion tha ...

by the European Union against the Maldivian Government. Hence, as a show of cooperation to the EU, the Maldives Government released the remaining editors one by one erasing all criminal charges brought against them. At the end of 2006, they started an online version of their news magazine which has gained popularity among Maldivians living abroad. By 2007, they had started the production of their own weekly magazine which was mostly is seen as a magazine opposed to Gayoom's Government. When Gayoom was ousted from power ''Sandhaanu'' became a pro-government magazine focusing on various areas of concern in the country. However, it was closed in 2008.

References

External links

Sandhaanu Maldivian News Media
Defunct political magazines Magazines established in 1999 Magazines disestablished in 2008 Mass media in the Maldives News magazines published in Asia Online magazines {{Maldives-stub Newspapers published in the Maldives