Former President Abdulla Yameen has asserted that the President's Office is barring Adhadhu from press briefings because President Mohamed Muizzu fears further public humiliation stemming from the outlet's reporting.
The President's Office took action against Adhadhu following a question posed by journalist Mohamed Shahuzan during a press conference attended by Muizzu on May 11. Following the question, Muizzu expelled Shahuzan from the briefing, alleging a violation of a "gag order" issued by the Criminal Court regarding the "Aisha" documentary.
Adhadhu was informed via a message in the President's Office media WhatsApp group that it would no longer be granted access. The outlet's journalists have also been excluded from a newly created media group.
Despite repeated requests for a written explanation regarding this measure, the President's Office refused to provide a formal response. On Saturday, government spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef claimed that the administration was under no obligation to provide a written reply.
Speaking at a People’s National Front (PNF) rally on Sunday night, Yameen addressed the issue, insisting that the President's Office must be held accountable.
"Why is Adhadhu being excluded from Muizzu’s interviews and President’s Office briefings? Mundhu [Mohamed Hussain Shareef] responded, saying this isn't something they need to answer for. No, it is something they must answer for," Yameen said.
Yameen further alleged that the President's Office is obstructing Adhadhu out of fear, claiming that journalist Shahuzan possesses Muizzu’s phone call logs and chat records.
"The reality of what is happening here is that Adhadhu’s Shahuzan has Muizzu’s chat logs and call logs. So, Muizzu is thinking, 'My God, what chat logs do they have of who I called?' It is out of sheer terror that he is refusing to give Adhadhu any further opportunities," he said.
Following the release of the "Aisha" documentary, public discourse has centered on the "L-Sofa" allegations. Referring to these claims, Yameen stated that Muizzu should resign to preserve the dignity of the presidency and the President's Office.
"If the dignity of the presidency and the President's Office is to be maintained—if there is even a shred of affection for Maldivian nationalism or the homeland—Muizzu should have resigned by now and stepped aside. This is a massive and disgraceful scandal," Yameen noted.
Yameen added that the public believes the "L-Sofa" incident occurred and argued that no further investigation was necessary to confirm it.
The Criminal Court had previously ruled that Adhadhu journalists Mohamed Shahuzan and Leevan Ali Naseer violated the "gag order" related to the documentary. This determination was made without a thorough investigation or providing the journalists an opportunity to defend themselves in court. The court fined both journalists and sentenced Shahuzan to 15 days and Leevan to 10 days in Maafushi Prison.
Furthermore, Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Editor Hassan Mohamed are currently facing criminal charges in the Criminal Court over the "Aisha" documentary. While appeals have been filed regarding these cases, no progress has been made in the appellate proceedings.
