I will not reveal my source, even if it means spending the rest of my life in prison: Fiyaz

Following his summons for the police investigation into the documentary "Aisha," Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa stated that he will not disclose his sources, even if it means spending the rest of his life in prison.

Speaking to the press after reporting to Henveiru Police Station on Wednesday evening, Fiyaz stated that this was not merely an attempt to intimidate Adhadhu, but a broader effort to silence all journalists and whistleblowers in the Maldives.

Fiyaz stated that the public provides information to the Adhadhu news team based on a high level of trust. Therefore, he exercised his right to remain silent in the interest of the Maldivian people.

Fiyaz stated that information shared with Adhadhu would be handled with the utmost confidentiality, providing full assurance that he would protect his sources even if it meant facing a lifetime in prison.

This is an attempt to intimidate all Maldivian journalists, as well as whistleblowers within the government and state institutions who report on misconduct, corruption, and theft. The public provides information to the Adhadhu team because they place immense trust in us. Therefore, I have exercised my right to remain silent in the interest of the Maldivian people. The information shared with us will be kept secure. I give my full assurance that we will protect our sources, even if it means spending a lifetime in prison. We will remain steadfast in this commitment. I encourage our sources to continue providing information; God willing, we will continue our reporting. Today, we have once again reaffirmed our guarantee that we will never disclose our sources. Moving forward, even if I am imprisoned or our entire team is jailed, we will not reveal a single source.

Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, CEO of Adhadhu News

Fiyazu stated that sources should continue to provide information and affirmed that Adhadhu will persist in its reporting efforts.

In addition to Fiyaz, the editor of Adhadhu, Hassan Mohamed, was also summoned to the police on Wednesday morning. Upon his appearance, Hassan also chose to exercise his right to remain silent.

The allegations leveled by the police against Hassan and Fiyaz include vicarious liability and complicity under the Penal Code, as well as defamation, solicitation to commit an offense, and conspiracy to commit an offense.

In connection with this case, the passports of both Fiyaz and Hassan have been withheld. Furthermore, police conducted a raid on the Adhadhu newsroom on Monday night, searching the premises and seizing a significant amount of equipment used for their operations.

International organizations are highlighting that the measures being taken against Adhadhu news in connection with the documentary "Aisha" pose a significant threat to media freedom and freedom of expression in the Maldives. These organizations emphasize that protecting press freedom is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and that any infringement upon these rights constitutes a violation of international standards.