Maldives Imprisons Reporters for Investigating President's Affair Allegations

Two journalists from the Maldivian news website Adhadhu were jailed for violating a gag order that banned public discussion of a documentary alleging an affair between President Mohamed Muizzu and a former aide. Mohamed Shahzan received 15 days in jail, while Leevan Ali Nasir was sentenced to 10 days. The criminal court in Male issued these sentences after the journalists questioned the president about late-night calls and reported on the gag order itself.

Press freedom organizations strongly condemned the jailing. The International Federation of Journalists called the sentences unacceptable, and the Committee to Protect Journalists described them as a punitive attempt to criminalize investigative journalism. The Maldives Journalists Association said the sentences were unprecedented in the country's democratic history and argued the gag order failed constitutional tests of legality and necessity.

The case centers on a documentary titled Aisha, released on March 28, featuring an anonymized interview with a woman claiming a sexual relationship with Muizzu. The president dismissed the allegations as baseless lies. Police raided Adhadhu's offices in April, seizing equipment from journalists and staff. The trials were conducted secretly, with journalists given only two hours to find legal counsel and no opportunity to present a defense.

The government defended the prosecutions, with Muizzu's spokesperson stating the cases were unrelated to press freedom and that the president had given media unprecedented access. However, critics including opposition leaders and legal experts disagreed, calling the actions judicial harassment and a sign of democratic backsliding. Two additional Adhadhu editors face charges under Islamic law that could result in prison time and lashes.