The President's Office has banned Adhadhu and its journalists from attending any press conferences organized by the office, following the removal of journalist Mohamed Shahzan from a press briefing held yesterday morning.
In a message shared on the President's Office official media WhatsApp group last night, the decision to deny Adhadhu access was linked to ongoing investigations into the "Aisha" documentary, as well as a Criminal Court order related to criminal proceedings involved in the matter.
The Criminal Court order in question is a gag order issued in connection with charges filed against Adhadhu’s CEO, Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, and Editor, Hassan Mohamed. The order prohibits all parties from circulating the content of the documentary or discussing its details, whether directly or indirectly. The President's Office stated that Shahzan’s question during the briefing violated this court order.
In justifying the ban on Adhadhu, the President's Office also cited the Code of Conduct (Article 40) and the responsibility of the media to provide truthful information (Article 44) as stipulated in the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, enacted by the current administration.
However, the President's Office formally barred Adhadhu and its journalists under the discretionary powers granted to the office by Article 13 of the "Policy on Attending and Covering Press Conferences Held by the President's Office."
The President's Office stated that the ban on the outlet and its representatives will remain in effect until the conclusion of the ongoing case at the Criminal Court regarding the "Aisha" documentary, as well as the investigations being conducted by the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (Control Commission).
