An eyewitness to Raajje Television's (RaajjeTV) journalist Hussain Hassan, who had been arrested at the opposition rally on Friday, being brought into the police headquarters has said that he had not been 'fully conscious' and that there were clear signs of assault.

Mahfooz Saeed, a prominent lawyer who was already at the headquarters along with a number of others that were apprehended in the police's violent attempts to disband the rally, revealed this a tweet.

"RaajjeTV's journalist Hussain Hassan had already been subject to assault when he was brought into the police HQ. Was not fully conscious. Even when lawyers repeatedly asked for him to be taken to the hospital, officers did so much later, after waiting for 'orders from the top' " the tweet reads. 

Hussain is currently hospitalized for observation and doctors have said that he has sustained several internal injuries. He was arrested while covering the opposition rally on Friday, and afterwards the unrest caused by police's crackdown on those gathered there.

Police had been quick to implement hazardous tactics to disband gatherers, who had been peaceful except for highly audible calls to have the Supreme Court ruling on freeing unfairly imprisoned detainees enforced, to respect the rule of law, and for President Abdulla Yameen's resignation. 

Some of these tactics included shoving gatherers with riot shields and using copious amounts of pepper-spray on singled out individuals, and indiscriminately against journalists and even bystanders. 

Hussain's office, RaajjeTV, had been highly active reporting on the rally and other members of the station's crew were injured as well. RaajjeTV's cameramen Ahmed Nasheem, Hussain Fazeen, Adam Zareer and Mohamed Anil had all been victims to the police's violent suppression, and photographer Mohamed Sharuhaan had been taken to the ADK Hospital for treatment.

Video Journalists Ahmed Saaif Shiyad, Mohamed Fazeen, Murushid Abdul Hakeem, and Ismail Naail Nasheed were also pepper-sprayed while covering the rally.

Multiple other journalists from the opposition-aligned Vmedia had all sought treatment for being exposed to pepper-spray and their reporter on the field, Leevan Ali Nasir, had been arrested as well. 

The Jumhooree Party had condemned the actions of the police and described 'threatening and intimidating journalists' as a 'staple' of the current government and President Abdulla Yameen. The Maldivain Democratic Party's chair Hassan Latheef posted a tweet expressing similar sentiments. 

The CPJ's (Committee to Protect Journalist) office in Asia had also on Friday called on Maldivian authorities to ensure the safety of journalists. 

The CPJ had last week expressed concern over the attack on the media, after a pro-government lawmaker publicly called on security forces to close down RaajjeTV and the station reporting that its shutdown was 'imminent'. Online news website Maldives Independent, which reports content catered especially to international readers, had also said that they were getting increased cyber attacks.

"Authorities in the Maldives must immediately stop trying to exert control over the media and access to information.The Maldives should abide by its constitutional commitment to the freedom of speech" said Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia Program Coordinator in Washington D.C., in the statement. 

All journalists covering rallies in the capital city are required to wear press cards identifying them and a separate 'Accredited Press' pass, issued by the Maldives Broadcasting Commission, which is about six inches across and highly visible.