Raajje Television has expressed solidarity with VMedia and five journalists from ‘Mihaaru’, who are being sued for defamation.

RaajjeTV, in a statement released on Sunday night, expressed concern over former principal of Arabiyya School, Nasrullah Musthafa’s decision to file a lawsuit for defamation against the five journalists and the local media group at the Civil Court, for reporting on allegations of him scamming people into unlicensed pilgrimages.

Noting that filing lawsuits against journalists and media organizations for reporting the truth ‘is unacceptable,’ RaajjeTV emphasized that criminal charges have been raised against Musthafa, for sending pilgrims on Hajj on fraudulent grounds.

The statement noted that ‘this proves that the reports were based on the truth,’ adding that RaajjeTV believes that the suit was filed against them ‘to intimidate them’.

Furthermore, RaajjeTV called on Musthafa to retract the charges against the five journalists and VMedia, and emphasized that RaajjeTV and its employees stand in solidarity with them.

The state has also charged Musthafa over familial neglect and possession of pornographic material. The scandal had led to Mustafa’s resignation as principal of state-owned Arabiyya School. He was arrested in November, and released a day later.