Trial of former President's Office employee Eesha on defamation charges held behind closed doors

The Criminal Court on Monday commenced the first hearing in the defamation case against Aishath Eesha Ashraf, a former employee of the President's Office.

The preliminary hearing in the defamation case against Eesha, who is accused of giving an interview for the "Aisha Documentary" published by Adhadhu news, was conducted behind closed doors.

Judge Ibrahim Zihunee is presiding over this case at the Criminal Court.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has confirmed that Eesha has been charged with defamation under Section 612 of the Penal Code. The case was formally filed in court on September 27.

Section 612 of the Penal Code defines the offense of false accusation (Qadhf). This section stipulates that it is a criminal offense to falsely accuse an individual of committing or engaging in the act of adultery, as defined under Section 411 of the same Code. This offense is classified as a felony of the fourth degree. In addition to the penalties authorized under Chapter 90 of this Act, the law mandates a corporal punishment of 80 lashes for this crime.

In addition to Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, the CEO of Adhadhu, the publication’s editor, Hassan Mohamed, has also been charged with criminal defamation in this case. The legal proceedings for these charges are being conducted behind closed doors, away from public and media access.

In a social media post, Eesha revealed that a government minister contacted her by phone and issued a warning a month before the news outlet *Adhadhu* released the "Aisha" documentary. However, she did not disclose the identity of the minister involved.