Bar Council seeks review of Criminal Court gag order

Bar Council of the Maldives has sent a letter to the Prosecutor General’s Office requesting a review of the Criminal Court order issued in connection with a documentary produced by Adhadhu.

The letter, addressed to Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef and signed by Bar Council President Hussein Siraj, asked the PG’s Office to seek a review of the order issued by the Criminal Court last Sunday at the request of the prosecution.

The Bar Council also requested the Prosecutor General to seek a review of the court’s decision to hold a journalist in contempt of court based on a letter, which later resulted in a conviction.

According to the letter, press freedom is a core element of democracy. The council stated that the use of prosecutorial powers to obtain gag orders and pursue contempt proceedings against journalists raises questions regarding the independence and impartiality of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The letter further referred to concerns raised over the imprisonment of two Adhadhu journalists earlier this week, stating that they were not given sufficient time to obtain legal representation.

The council noted that the right to legal counsel is protected under Articles 51 and 53 of the Constitution and argued that restricting this right in such circumstances could amount to a violation of constitutional rights and freedoms.

The Bar Council also stated that such developments could weaken public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.

The two Adhadhu journalists were sentenced to prison after reporting on and questioning President Mohamed Muizzu regarding a documentary containing allegations against him, despite a court order prohibiting discussion or dissemination of information related to the documentary.

Criminal charges have also been filed against Adhadhu Chief Executive Officer Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Managing Editor Hassan Mohamed in connection with the documentary, with proceedings currently ongoing.