Supreme Court Upholds Ruling in Ownership Dispute Over Maldives’ Oldest Newspaper

In the early 1990s, a milestone evening marked the evolution of media in the Maldives. This reporter witnessed Foreign Minister Fath’hulla Jameel grace the occasion as Haveeru, the country’s oldest newspaper, formally introduced a subscribed international wire service from Agence France-Presse, ushering in a new era for the nation’s news landscape.

The man behind this achievement was Dr. Mohamed Zahir Hussain, the chairman of Haveeru. An Azhar University graduate, Dr. Zahir Hussain had a keen intellectual curiosity and a penchant for literary and intellectual discourse, reminiscent of the eras of King Farooq and Jamal Abdel Nasser when Arab intelligentsia flourished.

Known as an avid reader with an inquisitive mind, Dr. Zahir Hussain served as the education minister for many years, overseeing significant changes in the field. His extensive contributions to the education sector warrant a separate article.

However, Dr. Zahir Hussain’s legacy, Haveeru, became embroiled in a protracted ownership dispute that temporarily halted the newspaper’s operations and jeopardized its precious archives.

The Supreme Court of the Maldives has now upheld a 2014 civil court ruling that Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa and Abdullah Farooq Hassan have no ownership stake in Haveeru or its associated printing business, Lomaafaanu Print. The ruling affirms that Dr. Zahir Hussain, as the chairman, runs the newspaper and its affiliated businesses.

The case stemmed from a 1983 agreement signed by Dr. Zahir Hussain, Mr. Moosa, Mr. Farooq, and Mohammed Naeem to establish Haveeru News Agency. In 2019, the High Court had quashed an earlier verdict against Dr. Zahir Hussain in a case filed by Mr. Moosa and Mr. Farooq.

A key point of contention was whether ownership of Haveeru and its assets had been transferred to Haveeru News Agency. The Supreme Court ruled that the High Court failed to consider if Haveeru News Agency actually owned property.

While Mr. Moosa was previously in charge of Haveeru’s operations, the court stated that this role did not constitute ownership. Referring to a previous judgment, it said there was no legal basis to consider Haveeru News Agency as established under the 1983 agreement, which was deemed a non-binding memorandum of understanding.

The Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Moosa and Mr. Farooq are entitled to one-fourth of any money and property directly owned by Haveeru News Agency, but have no claim over Haveeru newspaper or Lomaafaanu Print’s profits.

Haveeru Media Group was represented by Hussain Siraj, while Dr. Zahir Hussain was represented by former Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu. The judgment noted that loans to run the businesses were taken by Dr. Zahir Hussain personally and in his name over the years.

In 2016, Haveeru temporarily ceased operations following a court order to halt transactions involving the newspaper amid the ownership dispute. The Supreme Court’s latest ruling appears to have resolved the long-running case in Dr. Zahir Hussain’s favor.