The Criminal Court has mandated a travel ban for the CEO of Adhadhu, Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, and instructed the seizure of his passport.

On the 28th of the previous month, Adhadhu released a documentary featuring an interview with an unidentified person.

The outlet stated that police arrived at its office with a court order on Monday night. The journalists reported that, following the order, police intervened regarding the documentary.

Authorities stated that the office was being examined following a court directive as part of an ongoing investigation. No additional information was given.

Apart from the newsroom search, the Criminal Court also ordered the confiscation of Fiyaz’s passport.

The judicial directive, released at 22:11, indicated that the passport was confiscated as law enforcement deemed it essential for Fiyaz to stay in the Maldives for the inquiry into a criminal case.

The directive specifies that Fiyaz’s passport will be retained from Monday until the 26th of the following month. The Serious and Organized Crime Investigation Department is investigating his case.

In March of last year, police were notified about threats made against Fiyaz, a veteran in the media industry.

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has raised alarms regarding the police raid of the newsroom. A group of journalists organized a demonstration outside the office.