Two Maldivian journalists sentenced to jail for reporting on presidential affair

Two journalists from the Maldives have been sentenced to jail for violating a gag order related to allegations against President Mohamed Muizzu. The International Federation of Journalists and the Committee to Protect Journalists have expressed concern over the jailing of Mohamed Shahzan and Leevan Ali Nasir.

Shahzan was given 15 days in jail, while Nasir received 10 days. The journalists work for the news website Adhadhu and were sentenced by a criminal court in Male on Tuesday. A documentary titled “Aisha” was released on Adhadhu’s social media accounts on March 28, featuring an interview with a woman who claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Muizzu.

Muizzu has denied the allegations as “baseless lies.” Police raided Adhadhu’s offices in April over the documentary’s release, seizing laptops and other equipment. According to Adhadhu, Shahzan was jailed after questioning Muizzu about late-night calls he allegedly made to a former presidential aide. Nasir was jailed for reporting on the gag order itself.

The court issued an order banning any discussion of the allegations, charges, and ongoing trials, citing constitutional provisions protecting reputation. The journalists were given limited time to find legal counsel and present a defense. Two editors at Adhadhu, Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Hassan Mohamed, also face charges related to “qazf,” a false accusation under Islamic law.

The government has denied the allegations of an attack on freedom of the press. Muizzu’s spokesperson stated that the cases were not related to independent journalism rights. The case has raised concerns about democracy and media freedom in the Maldives, where a constitutional referendum recently rejected a proposal to align presidential and parliamentary election cycles.

Source: Al Jazeera