Justice Manipulated behind close doors

The court hearing to announce the final verdict on two journalists of Raajje TV Mohamed Visam and Leevan Ali Nazeer, who were arrested for allegedly obstructing police, on Monday afternoon will be held behind closed doors.

The decision to close the doors on the hearing was announced after people had submitted their names to observe the trial. The reason for the abrupt decision is unclear.

The  Criminal Court declared RaajjeTv journalists guilty on police obstruction charges, sentencing to be held on Jan. 24 2017.  The prosecution requests a jail term of four months and 24 days for the journalists. Meantime Maldives Police pushed media and family of  journalists, claiming that it was an "illegal gathering" 

Mohamed Wisam, Leevan Ali Naseer  are the first Maldivian journalists to be prosecuted since the country adopted a democratic constitution in 2008.

Their prosecution stands in stark contrast to the lack of justice for crimes committed against the press, including the disappearance of Maldives Independent journalist Ahmed Rilwan, the arson attack on Raajje TV, the near-fatal beating of the station’s former news head, Asward Ibrahim Waheed, and the mass death threats sent via text messages to journalists.

When world marks the international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists, human rights groups have urged the Maldives to practice what it preaches internationally, describing the country’s support for the UN resolution while cracking down on the press at home, as “dark comedy.

Maldives is ranked 112th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2015 World Press Freedom Index.