Government spokesperson remains unclear on decision to bar Adhadhu news from President's Office

Government spokesperson Heena Waleed has failed to clarify the decision to bar Adhadhu news and its journalists from entering the President's Office.

The President's Office has temporarily barred journalists from the news outlet "Adhadhu" from attending its press conferences. This decision follows allegations that the outlet violated a Criminal Court order concerning a video documentary it produced.

The President's Office issued a statement confirming that the Maldives Police Service has informed them of an ongoing criminal investigation at the Criminal Court regarding video content circulated by a social media account of 'Adhadhu' news. Additionally, the office noted that the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulatory Commission is also investigating the matter. During a press conference held at the President's Office at 10:00 AM on Monday, May 11, 2026, Adhadhu journalist Mohamed Shahuzan acted in violation of a court order issued on May 10, 2026, under case number 528/Cr-C/2026, which prohibited specific actions regarding the ongoing trial. In light of these developments, and citing the standards of conduct for media outlined in Section 39, the ethical principles in Section 40, and the responsibility to provide truthful information under Section 44 of Law No. 16/2025 (Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulatory Act), the President's Office has taken action. Exercising the authority granted under Section 13 of the "Policy on Attending and Covering Press Conferences Held by the President's Office," the office has decided to withhold the authorization required under Section 5 of the policy from Adhadhu news and its representatives. Consequently, Adhadhu and its journalists will be barred from attending any press conferences organized by the President's Office for the duration of the ongoing legal proceedings, effective immediately.

When questioned by RaajjeTV regarding this matter, a government spokesperson was unable to clarify the established procedures or the specific actions being taken. In its inquiry, RaajjeTV highlighted that a court order is currently in effect prohibiting the discussion of specific topics within the Maldives. Under this mandate, various state institutions, including the President's Office, are actively taking enforcement measures, particularly targeting journalists.

However, the spokesperson interrupted the question to firmly assert that the President's Office had not taken any action.

Shareef stated that the President's Office did not take action due to a court order. However, the third reason cited in the President's Office statement was that the journalist's question violated a court order. The first reason provided was an ongoing police investigation into a documentary, while the second reason cited an investigation by the Control Commission. Since the third reason explicitly referenced the court order, attempts were made to seek clarification from Shareef regarding his claim that the action was unrelated to it; however, he was unable to clarify the specific grounds for the President's Office's decision.

Regarding the measures taken against Adhadhu news, while the President's Office cited violations of the code of ethics and established standards, Article 65 of the relevant Act mandates that due process must be followed. Furthermore, Article 67 stipulates that media outlets must be granted the opportunity to respond before any disciplinary action is taken. For instance, even in cases where false information is published, Article 72 requires that the outlet be given the chance to issue a correction and an apology. However, the President's Office opted for the most severe course of action. Given that the Media Council is the designated regulatory body, the President's Office bypassed this established process to take direct action. Following a specific question posed by a journalist, the President's Office cited these reasons to justify its decision to ban the entire news outlet from all official press briefings.

Despite the clear explanation provided, Shareef claimed to have heard the journalist refer to the entire news media industry. By fixating on that point, he avoided giving a direct answer to the original question.

Shareef stated that this was not the most severe action taken against Adhadhu. Rather than addressing the specific measures imposed on the news outlet, he highlighted the regulations governing President's Office press briefings, which prohibit attendees from using mobile phones to record or broadcast live video. He noted that there were individuals present who had violated these rules.