The High Court has cancelled today's appeal hearing regarding Adhadhu Online journalists Leevan Ali Nasir and Mohamed Shahzan, who were previously jailed for contempt of court after allegedly violating a Criminal Court gag order related to the "Aisha" documentary.
The hearing was scheduled to take place behind closed doors today at 10:15 AM. However, the court informed lawyers and journalists who had arrived for the session that the hearing was cancelled due to administrative reasons, with a new date to be announced later, according to former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, a member of the defence legal team.
The Criminal Court originally jailed Leevan for reporting on the issuance of the gag order, ruling that doing so violated the order. Shahzan was sentenced over a question he posed to President Mohamed Muizzu at the President's Office, which the court deemed a breach of the same directive.
Both journalists were sentenced during closed-door hearings at the Criminal Court, where Shahuzan received a 15-day prison sentence and Leevan was sentenced to 10 days. Both journalists have since been released after serving their full sentences.
