Shahuzan granted only two hours to appoint legal counsel
The Criminal Court has summoned "Adhadhu" journalist Mohamed Shahuzan for allegedly violating a court order, granting him a mere two hours to appoint legal counsel. Shahuzan and another journalist from the same outlet were brought before the court today on contempt charges following a complaint filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office. The court’s decision to provide significantly less time for legal representation than is standard practice has drawn widespread public criticism.
Mohamed Shahuzaan, a journalist for Adhadhu. | Raajje MV
Adhadhu journalist Mohamed Shahuzaan was summoned to court and given just two hours to appoint legal counsel, following a determination by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu that the journalist had violated a Criminal Court order during a presidential press conference.
The summons issued to Shahuzan by the Criminal Court stated that his questions and remarks during Sunday’s press conference at the President’s Office are believed to have violated a standing court order. The order in question explicitly prohibits any actions intended to influence the outcome of an ongoing trial.
Following a formal notification from the Prosecutor General’s Office on Sunday, the court has summoned the respondent to address potential contempt of court charges. The summons was issued under Section 7(c) of the Regulation on Maintaining the Decorum of the Court to determine whether an act of contempt has been committed.
Shahuzan was summoned to the Criminal Court at 1:00 PM today. Upon his appearance, he requested the court for additional time to appoint legal counsel. However, the presiding bench of the Criminal Court decided to grant Shahuzan a period of only two hours to secure legal representation.
Leevan Ali Nasir, a journalist for Adhadhu, was summoned to court at 11:00 a.m. today. Leevan, who was summoned in connection with a published news report, was also granted only two hours to appoint legal counsel.
Typically, even in high-profile cases, defendants are granted at least five days to appoint legal counsel. However, many observers note that the Criminal Court is handling this particular case differently.
