PG withdraws charges against ex-RaajjeTV journalist Wisam
Wisam was charged with obstruction for allegedly entering a cordoned-off area while covering an opposition rally
Mohamed Wisam
The Prosecutor General (PG) has withdrawn the obstruction charge against former RaajjeTV journalist Mohamed Wisam.
Wisam was charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer in April 2016 for allegedly entering a cordoned-off area while covering an opposition rally on 25 March 2015.
Wisam was acquitted in March 2017 after the Criminal Court ruled that the chain of custody of video evidence submitted by prosecutors contradicted the prosecution's claims. The presiding Judge also stated that the presence of journalists at the scene “cannot be deemed as obstructing police duties”. The PG appealed the following month.
RaajjeTV’s cameraman Adam Zareer, who was arrested with Wisam at the rally, was found guilty of obstruction and fined MVR 3,000.
The court found Wisam guilty of a separate obstruction charge in December 2016, along with journalist Leevan Ali Nasir, after being arrested while covering a bomb scare in Male’ in November 2015. They were both fined MVR 28,800 each.
