News Desk
MALE’ — The Civil Court has ordered news outlet Dhauru to remove a published report from public access, following a defamation claim filed by Hithadhoo Medhu constituency MP Ahmed Azaan against the outlet and its editor Moosa Latheef.
The court order, issued by Judge Ali Abdullah on Tuesday, instructs Dhauru to move the article to draft status and block public access to it. The order specifies that this does not constitute deletion of the article.
The case stems from a report written by Moosa Latheef published under the title “Police Entering Adhadhu and Azaan’s Experience,” which Azaan says damaged his reputation. He filed the defamation suit against both Dhauru’s operating company and Moosa Latheef personally.
In issuing the interim order, the judge said there appeared to be a substantive right requiring protection before the case is decided on its merits, and that leaving the article publicly accessible risked causing Azaan further reputational harm beyond what had already occurred. The court found no significant harm to the defendants in moving the article to draft status in the interim.
Azaan is seeking MVR 5,000 in damages and MVR 28,670 in legal costs.
Azaan previously worked as a journalist before entering politics.
