High Court Rejects MJA Appeal Against Adhadhu Gag Order

The High Court has decided not to accept a case filed by the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) seeking to overturn a gag order issued over a video documentary published by Adhadhu.

The MJA filed the case on Thursday to appeal the order issued by the Criminal Court, which prohibited circulation of the documentary and barred any direct or indirect discussion of its contents.

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In a decision issued today, the registrar of the High Court stated that the MJA was not a party involved in the original case concerning the order and therefore did not have the legal standing to appeal the matter.

The Criminal Court issued the gag order after the state filed contempt charges against Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and editor Hassan Mohamed, while also requesting restrictions related to the documentary.

Under the order, the public was instructed not to circulate the documentary, discuss its contents directly or indirectly, discuss statements made by alleged victims or suspects connected to the case, or disseminate documents and information related to the court proceedings.

The order further stated that any such actions could amount to contempt of court.

However, Article 56 of the Constitution of the Maldives states that any person related to a case has the right to appeal a conviction, sentence, judgment or order in both criminal and civil matters.

Earlier, the court sentenced Adhadhu journalists Mohamed Shahuzan and Leevan Ali Naseer to imprisonment after ruling that they had violated the order.

In a statement condemning the matter, the MJA said the Criminal Court’s order obstructed journalists from reporting news and deprived the public of their right to seek and obtain information.