The High Court has accepted the appeal of the Criminal Court's verdict to imprison "Adhadhu" journalists Leevan Ali Nasir and Mohamed Shahzaan for allegedly violating a gag order issued in a case involving allegations of Qazaf (false accusation) against President Mohamed Muizzu.

The Criminal Court issued the gag order after the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office requested it following the filing of Qazaf charges against Adhadhu's CEO Hussain Fiyaz and Managing Editor Hassan Mohamed.

In the case initiated over a documentary brought by Adhadhu, the Criminal Court ordered not to circulate the documentary and to refrain from discussing the matters in it either directly or indirectly.

Shahzaan was ruled to have violated the court order for asking the President a question regarding the allegations against him during a press conference. Leevan was ruled to have violated the order based on the way the news about the court order itself was written in the newspaper.

Regarding this matter, Shahzaan and Leevan were summoned to the Criminal Court on May 12, and after being given just two hours to appoint a lawyer, the court sentenced them to prison on that same day. The Criminal Court sentenced Leevan to 10 days in prison along with a fine of MVR 26,800, while Shahzaan was sentenced to 15 days in prison along with a fine of MVR 25,800.

As these two verdicts were appealed separately in the High Court, the court's registry now shows that the case has been registered.

Out of the two journalists, Leevan was released from prison last Friday after ten days.