Wisam's acquittal: appeal hearing set for Tuesday
Wisam was charged with obstruction after being arrested while covering an opposition rally in March 2015
File photo: Mohamed Wisam with his father, infront of Criminal Court
A hearing in the state’s appeal case against RaajjeTV journalist Mohamed Wisam’s acquittal on an obstruction charge, has been scheduled for Tuesday.
The hearing is set for 9am at the High Court.
Charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer in April 2016- after being arrested while covering an opposition rally in March 2015- Wisam was acquitted in March 2017.
The Prosecutor General’s Office had appealed the verdict the next month.
Acquitting him, the Criminal Court ruled that the chain of custody of video evidence submitted by prosecutors “cannot be verified” and that it “contradicted the Prosecution's claims”. Additionally, presiding Judge, Ahmed Shakeel ruled that the presence of journalists at the scene “cannot be deemed as obstructing police duties”.
RaajjeTV’s cameraman Adam Zareer, who was arrested along with Wisam at the same rally, was found guilty of obstruction in February 2017 and fined MVR 3,000.
Criminal Court found Wisam guilty of a separate obstruction charge in December 2016, along with journalist Leevaan Ali Nasir, over an arrest made while covering a bomb scare in the capital Male' City in November 2015. They were both fined MVR 28,800 each.
Earlier this month, senior officials of RaajjeTV met with the Prosecutor General seeking to revoke the case, as well as to review the arson attack on the station premises.
