Police are investigating an incident involving the deletion of a photograph from a journalist’s phone, which depicted an arrest in Male’ last night. The journalist, who expressed concerns on social media, reported that at approximately 8:26 PM, she attempted to photograph an arrest on the streets of Male’, while carrying her press credentials.
Despite presenting her press card, the journalist, Shama Shuaib of “Aslu TV,” stated that a police officer demanded the deletion of the photo. Shama noted that she was compelled to comply under the threat of arrest and questioned the legal basis for this demand.
The journalist voiced skepticism regarding claims of press freedom, questioning the justification for examining her phone and hindering her professional duties. In response to these concerns, Police Spokesperson Ahmed Shifan emphasized that police activities at crime scenes should take precedence, but acknowledged that journalists should be facilitated in reporting from designated areas.
Shifan mentioned that a complaint has been filed by the “Aslu TV” journalist concerning police conduct, which will be reviewed by the Police Professional Standards Command. The individual arrested was Mohamed Azham Saeed from GDh. Gahdhoo, apprehended during an operation targeting alcohol trade based on police intelligence.
