Maldivian authorities raided independent news outlet Adhadhu and barred its top editors from traveling following a documentary alleging sexual misconduct by the President, sparking global outrage over press freedom.

The Maldives is facing intense international scrutiny after police raided the offices of the independent online news outlet Adhadhu in the capital, Malé, seizing essential journalistic equipment and placing its top executives under strict travel bans.

The unprecedented crackdown stems from the publication of “Aisha,” a documentary that levelled serious allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power against Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. As authorities push for criminal charges against the journalists, media watchdogs are warning of a severe crisis for press freedom in the nation.

The Midnight Raid and Confiscation of Equipment

The escalation began just hours after President Muizzu publicly dismissed the documentary’s claims as “baseless lies” during a televised press briefing, calling on authorities to take legal action. Soon after the press briefing by the President, officers from the Maldives Police Service’s Serious and Organised Crime Investigation Division descended upon Adhadhu’s headquarters.

During a meticulous four-hour search, police confiscated operational equipment: Devices seized included laptops belonging to journalists, marketing staff, and administrators, alongside hard drives and pen drives. The seizure effectively crippled the outlet’s daily newsroom operations.

Adhadhu’s legal team strongly objected to the police actions. The lawyers maintained that the police had drastically exceeded their authority, arguing that the court warrant only permitted the “search and inspection” of the premises, not the wholesale confiscation of media equipment. The move has been widely characterised as a targeted attempt to uncover the anonymous sources featured in the investigative report.

Travel Bans and the Right to Silence

The government’s response rapidly extended beyond the newsroom floor to target the individual journalists leading the organization. The Criminal Court issued stringent travel bans and passport confiscations against Adhadhu’s Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, as well as Managing Editor Hassan Mohamed.

Citing a police intelligence report alleging the executives posed a flight risk, the court barred Fiyaz from traveling abroad for a three-month period spanning to July 26. A similar order was executed against Hassan. The former government appointee and the alleged centre of the documentary, also had her passport withheld.

Both Fiyaz and Hassan were subsequently summoned to the Criminal Investigation Building on Wednesday morning for rigorous questioning. Facing multiple allegations – including defamation and complicity – both journalists exercised their constitutional right to remain silent. Fiyaz’s legal counsel, Ali Hussain, told reporters that the interrogation was designed to force the journalists into revealing confidential sources. Hussain dismissed the investigation as a political attempt to intimidate the free press.

The ‘Aisha’ Documentary and Qazf Allegations

At the heart of the crisis is the documentary “Aisha,” which Adhadhu published across its social media platforms on March 28. Released days before a constitutional referendum, the video featured an anonymized interview with a 22-year-old single mother and former administrator at the President’s Office. The woman alleged she had a sexual relationship with the married President Muizzu, claiming he abused his power to sexually manipulate her.

Rather than pursuing civil defamation, authorities have weaponized the Maldives Penal Code’s Section 612(a), which criminalizes “Qazf” – the false accusation of adultery under Islamic law. The offense carries severe penalties, including a prison term of up to one year and seven months, and the possibility of 80 lashes.

Government officials have staunchly defended the police response. Minister of Homeland Security Ali Ihusaan justified the raid, stating police were right to investigate the false adultery allegations. “Press freedom is guaranteed, but not a free pass to destroy reputations with lies,” Ihusaan remarked, insisting the police were merely upholding the law.

A Chilling Effect on Maldivian Journalism

The utilization of religiously grounded criminal laws to bypass civil media regulations has sent shockwaves through the region, drawing swift condemnation from domestic politicians and global human rights organizations.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed, who endured imprisonment under previous regimes, denounced the police raid. He emphasized that press freedom is a vital right secured through years of struggle, labelling the police entry into Adhadhu’s office as utterly unacceptable. Former Maldivian Democratic Party Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail echoed these sentiments, describing the action as blatant intimidation and political persecution.

Internationally, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) demanded the immediate return of the seized equipment and the lifting of the travel bans. CPJ warned that the raid represents an alarming attempt to criminalize investigative journalism under the guise of religious and national interests, setting a deeply chilling precedent. The International Federation of Journalists and Transparency Maldives also condemned the government’s overreach.

Broader Implications for Press Freedom

The police raid on Adhadhu unfolds against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating democratic freedoms in the Maldives. The nation recently saw a significant drop in the 2026 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index, largely catalysed by a disputed media control law rammed through the nation’s Parliament in August 2025.

The legislation merged existing watchdogs into a new media commission with sweeping punitive powers. With the state pursuing unprecedented Qazf charges against Adhadhu, local journalists fear this is merely the beginning of a broader campaign to crush adversarial media.

Demonstrating outside the Adhadhu offices, members of the Maldives Journalists Association made it clear: the survival of the country’s fragile independent press hangs delicately in the balance.