Principal Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef, commonly known as Mundhu, said today that court-issued gag orders are not new to the Maldives and stressed that the current administration will continue to enforce such rulings.
He made the remarks during the government’s “Presser with Spox” briefing while responding to questions from journalists regarding the legal authority and enforceability of gag orders issued by Maldivian courts.
According to Mundhu, gag orders restricting public discussion of ongoing court matters have been issued in the Maldives on previous occasions as well and are not unique to the current administration.
“A gag order was issued in 2021 and another was issued in 2022. President Mohamed Muizzu was not in power at the time. Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was in office then,” Mundhu said. “So this is not the first time such an order has been issued in the Maldives.”
He added that gag orders are also recognized internationally and are part of established legal practice in many countries.
Mundhu further stated that the government’s position has always been to fully respect court decisions and judicial procedures. He noted that President Muizzu has repeatedly emphasized the importance of complying with court orders and upholding the rule of law.
“The President has made it clear that court orders will be respected one hundred percent,” he said, adding that the Head of State would also encourage others to comply with such directives.
The remarks come amid public debate surrounding a recent Criminal Court gag order related to a case involving journalists from local media outlet Adhadhu. The court order prohibited the public dissemination and discussion of allegations linked to the case and warned that violations could amount to contempt of court.
