NOOH HARRIS

ލީވާން އާއި ޝަހުޒާން މިނިވަން ކުރުމަށް ގޮވާލައި މާލޭގައި ކުރިއަށްދާ މުޒާހަރާ

We stand together in solidarity with our @AdhadhuMV colleagues as they are dragged to court on contempt charges today and face criminal charges tomorrow. The Muizzu regime must immediately stop these attacks on the free press. @ifjasiapacific @IFJGlobal

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the jailing of two Maldivian journalists linked to an investigative documentary about President Mohamed Muizzu, calling it an attack on press freedom in the Maldives. According to CPJ, journalists Mohamed Shahzan and Leevan Ali Nasir from independent outlet Adhadhu were sentenced by a court in Malé over matters connected to a documentary titled “Aisha”, which contained allegations involving President Muizzu. Reporter Mohamed Shahzan was sentenced to 15 days in jail after questioning President Muizzu during a press conference regarding allegations raised in the documentary, while Leevan Ali Nasir received a 10-day jail term over reporting related to a court-issued gag order on the case. CPJ said the rulings marked an escalation in action against Adhadhu, noting that authorities had earlier raided the outlet’s newsroom, seized equipment, and imposed travel bans on senior staff members. “The jailing of Mohamed Shahzan and Leevan Ali Nasir is a punitive attempt to criminalize investigative journalism,” CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder said in a statement. President Muizzu has denied the allegations made in the documentary, with Maldivian authorities defending the actions against Adhadhu as lawful investigations into what they described as false claims. International media rights groups and press freedom advocates have meanwhile urged the Maldivian government to end legal action against the outlet and allow journalists to operate freely.  (Newswire)

The sentencing of @AdhadhuMV journalists @MrLeevaaan and @MohamedShahzan marks a dark day for press freedom in the Maldives. Journalists must never be jailed for doing their jobs. This is a serious blow to independent media and a chilling warning to all who seek to hold power to account. President Muizzu’s stated commitment to media freedom rings hollow. I call for their immediate release.

CPJ condemns jailing of 2 Journalists linked to Maldives President Documentary ift.tt/6pAks3Z

For the contempt charges against journalists @MrLeevaaan and @MohamedShahzan were both given only two hours to appoint lawyers. We condemn this as it deprives our colleagues of competent legal representation and violates fair trial rights. @ifjasiapacific @CPJAsia

ކުޑަހުޅުން ބުރިކޮއްލިޔަސް ހައްގަށް ލޮލެއް ނުމަރާނަމޭ ކުޑަގޮޅީގައި އެލުވިޔަސް ބަލަ ކުޑަކަކޫ ނުޖަހާނަމޭ ދޫމަގޭ ބުރިކޮއްލިޔަސް ތެދުބަސް ދުލުން އިއްވާނަމޭ ދޫނިދޫގައި ބޭއްވިޔަސް ބަލަ ކުޑަކަކޫ ނުޖަހާނަމޭ ލޯމަރާލައިފާ ގަލަން ބޭއްވޭކަށެއް ނޯންނާނެޔޭ ލޯމަގޭ ކަޅި ކޮނެލިޔަސް ހެޔޮ ކުޑަކަކޫ ނުޖަހާނަމޭ Stay Strong Brother @MohamedShahzan ♥️🔥 12/05/26 @Hassana_mv @MrLeevaaan @SaaifShiyad @hussainfiyaz

The jailing of journalists @MrLeevaaan and @MohamedShahzan both journalists for @AdhadhuMV marks another shameful chapter in the government’s attempt to intimidate the press and silence public dissent. It is also a clear indication of government interference in the judicial process. These attacks on press freedom and free expression will not succeed. We will never waver in defending the hard-won rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution.

The president has given up maintaining even the barest facade of caring for freedom of expression anymore. Without a trial or lawful investigation, the courts have issued an unconstitutional gag order prohibiting all conversation around the documentary. Journalists @MohamedShahzan and @MrLeevaaan have been hit with charges of contempt of the court, again without legal basis or constitutional weight, and the kangaroo courts have sentenced them to 10 and 15 days respectively in “secret” hearings. These sham trials show that the president is no longer satisfied with harassing and intimidating journalists, and that he is willing to abuse the full weight of the state to persecute personal and political opponents. We have entered another truly fearful period in our country’s history. Dictator Muizzu has pushed our fight for fundamental rights more than half a century back. Freedom of speech and expression may be a joke to this administration, but we will fight tooth and nail to stop you from taking these rights away. I ask all citizens of the country to defy these unconstitutional decisions and protest in any way you can. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”- Voltaire

#Maldives: Authorities must immediately release journalists Mohamed Shahzan and Leevan Ali Nasir and end judicial harassment of their news outlet, Adhadhu, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. According to a report by Adhadhu and a post on X by the Maldives Journalists Association, a court in the capital Malé sentenced Shahzan, a reporter with Adhadhu, to 15 days in jail after he was removed from a May 11 press conference for questioning President Mohamed Muizzu about allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power raised in the outlet’s documentary, “Aisha.” Authorities later barred Adhadhu from briefings, citing a criminal court gag order on discussing the film. In a separate case, Nasir, a journalist with the same publication, received a 10-day sentence over a report on the same gag order, which the court deemed a violation, Adhadhu reported. More: cpj.org/2026/05/maldiv… #PressFreedom #JournalismIsNotACrime

Today marks a dark day for press freedom in the #Maldives. The sentencing of journalists @mohamedshahzan and @mrleevaaan is a grave step backwards for the democracy we worked so hard to build. It is deeply concerning to witness the shackling of our progress and the apparent influence over the independence of our state institutions. Press freedom is a vital pillar that protects the rights of every citizen and it must be preserved. I call for the immediate release of Shahzan and Leevan.

ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ނޫސްވެރިންނާ ބައްދަލުކުރައްވިއިރު އެމަނިކުފާނުގެ ބަސްމަގު ސައިހޮޓަލެއްގެ މޭޒުދޮށަށް މިއަދު ބަދަލުވެފައި މިއޮތީ

Qaanoon asaasee oiy gothun thiya amurakee thanfeezu kureveyne amureh noon. Ehen noonas amuru ge scope fulhaakamun thiyakee rayyithunnah kiyamam vevey gothah oiy ehcheh noon. adhadhu.com/81603

ތިޔަހެން ފޮނުވާ ޗިޓަކަށް ލީވާން ފަހަތަކަށް ނުޖެހޭނެ! ކިތަންމެ ވަރަކަށް ކޯޓަށް ހާޒިރުކުރިޔަސް، ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ އަނގަ ބަންދެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެ! #Nuhuttuveyne #Liyeveyne

ނޫސްވެރިން ކުރާ ސުވާލުތަކަށް ޖަވާބު ދިނުމުގެ ހިތްވަތު ރައީސްގެ ކިބައިގައި ހުންނަންވާނެ. ޣައިރު ގާނޫނީ ގެގް އޯޑަރަކާއި މަތިކޮށް ޖަވާބު ދާރީވުމުން ބަރީއައެއް ނުވެވޭނެ.

ކަމެއް ނުކުރާ މީހަކު ފޮރުވާންޖެހޭ އެއްޗެއް ނޯންނާނެއެވެ. އޮބިއެޅި ވަރަކަށް ކުނޑިގަނޑުން ތެޔޮ ފައިބާވަރު ގިނަވާނެއެވެ. #KaruBuduAmuru

Deeply concerned by the Criminal Court summoning Adhadhu journalist @MrLeevaaan for contempt of court over an article. He is the third Adhadhu reporter now facing criminal charges. We urge the government and state authorities to stop these retaliatory actions immediately.

Seeing @AdhadhuMV journalist @MohamedShahzan removed from the President’s press conference at the President’s own direction is deeply troubling. A President does not get to decide which journalists may ask questions and which must leave the room. This is an attack on press freedom and another warning sign for democracy in the Maldives. I call on President Muizzu to respect the independence of the media and uphold every citizen’s right to a free and open press.

ނޫސްވެރިކަން ކުރަނީ ވަރަށް ކެރިގެން. ބިރު ދެއްކޭނީ ބިރު ގަންނަ މީހުންނަށް. ތިޔަހެން ޖަހާލާ ބަޑިއަކުން ދާނީ ތެޔޮހަމެއް. އެންމެ އިންޗިއެއް ވެސް ފަހަތަކަށް ނުޖެހޭނަން. ނުވެސް ޖެއްސޭނެ. ގަދަވެ ސަލާމަތުން ހުރިހާ ދުވަހަކު މަގޭ ގަލަމުން ދެލި ހިނގާނެ.

އިއްވާނަން، ދައްކާނަން، ކިޔާނަން