The President’s Office has barred journalists representing Adhadhu News from attending presidential press conferences, effective immediately. The decision was communicated by Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), who shared an official notice in a WhatsApp group used for official communication with editors of all news outlets in the Maldives.
The move comes after the Maldives Police Service informed the President’s Office that a criminal case related to video content circulated on an Adhadhu News social media account is currently being heard at the Criminal Court. The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Commission (MMBRC) is also separately reviewing a related matter concerning the outlet.
The President’s Office grounded its decision in the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, citing Article 39, which outlines the standards media outlets are required to uphold, Article 40, which sets out the ethical code of conduct expected of media organizations, and Article 44, which places a binding obligation on media outlets to disseminate truthful and accurate information to the public. Acting under Article 13 of the Procedure Governing Attendance at and Coverage of Press Conferences Held by the President’s Office, the President’s Office suspended Adhadhu News journalists’ credentials for the duration of the ongoing proceedings. The access that is being suspended is specifically that outlined under Article 5 of the same procedure.
The President’s Office emphasized that the suspension is temporary and will remain in effect only while the criminal case at the Criminal Court and the MMBRC review are active. All other accredited media outlets continue to have full access to presidential press conferences.
