Adhadhu Chief Fiyaz appeals gag order with High Court after MJA’s petition thrown out

Following the High Court’s rejection of an appeal by the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), Adhadhu news CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa has personally filed a new appeal to overturn the Criminal Court’s sweeping gag order against the outlet's latest video documentary.

The legal move comes after High Court Registrar Mariyam Hoorsheedha threw out the MJA’s petition on Sunday, ruling that the journalist association lacked the direct legal standing to challenge the decree. Because the MJA is not a formal party to the underlying criminal case, the registrar maintained it had no right to appeal. In response, Fiyaz’s legal team has stepped forward to bypass the procedural hurdle by filing a direct appeal as an impacted party. 

The controversial "order to refrain from acting in a pending case" was issued by Criminal Court Judge Muzammil Nasir. The injunction strictly prohibits the video documentary, titled "Aisha," which levies adultery allegations against President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, from being circulated, and bans any discussion of its contents, whether directly or indirectly.

It also prohibits any public commentary linking the judge, the defendants, or the alleged victim to the matter. 

Judge Nasir implemented the blanket restrictions alongside a decision to hold the criminal trials of Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Editor Hassan Mohamed completely in camera (behind closed doors). Both executives have been charged with Qazf (false accusation of adultery or fornication) under Section 612 of the Penal Code. 

The sweeping order has drawn intense domestic and international backlash, with advocacy groups warning that it targets the constitutional rights of the entire society, press freedom, and the public's right to information. 

Enforcement of the gag order has already resulted in severe penalties. Two Adhadhu journalists, Leevan Ali Naseer and Mohamed Shahzan, were summarily jailed for contempt of court after being accused of violating the decree. Leevan was sentenced to 10 days in prison for a published report regarding the gag order, while Shahzan was sentenced to 15 days and fined MVR 25,000 for asking the President a question during a live press briefing. 

Rights organizations, including Transparency Maldives and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have strongly condemned the imprisonment of the reporters, characterizing it as a direct assault on democratic governance.  Meanwhile, the ripple effects of the judicial mandate have expanded into the political sphere. The Elections Commission (EC) has issued formal notices to all political parties, instructing them to comply with the court's decree and warning that any public commentary on the documentary's content will be heavily penalized as contempt of court.