^{Maldives! 2026} Woman sentenced to 6 years for blackmail pornographic material, Over 250 expatriates taken into custody during Operation Kurangi, Police seize over 1KG of drugs in Malé arrest 2, Nine including two women detained from protest demanding journalists’ release, އިހުތިޖާޖުގެ ތެރެއިން ހައްޔަރުކުރި 9 މީހަކު 15 ދުވަހަށް ބަންދުކޮށްފި, ޑައިމޯފިން ޓްރެފިކްކުރި ދެ މީހަކު އުމުރަށް ޖަލަށްލުމަށް ހުކުމްކޮށްފި, Criminal court orders “Aisha” documentary be withheld along with statements on case and victim, Lawyers claim Easha was denied the right to defend herself amidst documentary probe, ޝަމްޢާން ނެޓްވޯކުގައި ހިމެނޭ އިމިގްރޭޝަން އޮފިސަރު އިބްރާހީމަށް 11 މަހުގެ ޖަލު ހުކުމެއް, ހަމަލާ ދިނީ ކެންސަރު ބަލީގައި ފަރުވާ ހޯދަމުން އަންނަ މަންމައަށް ތަކުރާރުކޮށް ފުރައްސާރަކުރުމުން, ކުޑަ ކުއްޖަކު ގްރޫމްކޮށް، އެކްސްޕްލޮއިޓްކޮށް އެ ކުއްޖާއަށް ޖިންސީގޯނާކުރި ކަމުގެ ތުހުމަތުގައި ދެމީހަކު ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފި, Ten Arrested in Social Media–Linked Financial Fraud Case, ދެ ކިލޯއަށްވުރެ ގިނަ މަސްތުވާތަކެތި ވައިގެ މަގުން ރާއްޖެއަށް އެތެރެކުރަން އުޅުނު ތިން މީހުން ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފި, Four expatriates arrested for alcohol sales in Male’ have been handed over to Maldives Immigration for deportation, ޑްރަގް ވިޔަފާރީގައި ހައްޔަކުރި ނޭޕާލް ކުއްޖާގެ ބަންދަށް އިތުރު 20 ދުވަސް, Three arrested over attempt to smuggle over 6kg of drugs at airport, Five arrested for illegal alcohol trade on a safari boat, ރާއްޖެއަށް މަސްތުވާތަކެތި އެތެރެކުރި ދެ މީހަކު ވެލާނާ އިންޓަނޭޝަނަލް އެއާޕޯޓުން ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފި, Court orders Sunny Umar to remain in custody pending trial, 96 massage parlors closed since December operation: President, މަސްތުވާތަކެތީގެ މައްސަލައެއްގައި ހުޅުމާލެއިން މީހަކު ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފި

2026.5.14 އިހުތިޖާޖުގެ ތެރެއިން ހައްޔަރުކުރި 9 މީހަކު 15 ދުވަހަށް ބަންދުކޮށްފި
“އަދަދު” ނޫހުގެ ނޫސްވެރިން ހައްޔަރުކުރުމާ ގުޅިގެން ނޫސްވެރިކަމުގެ މިނިވަންކަމަށް ގޮވާލައި ރޭ މާލޭގައި ބޭއްވި އިހުތިޖާޖުގެ ތެރެއިން ހައްޔަރުކުރި 10 މީހުންގެ ތެރެއިން 9 މީހަކު 15 ދުވަހުގެ މުއްދަތަށް ބަންދުކުރުމަށް ކްރިމިނަލް ކޯޓުން އަމުރުކޮށްފިއެވެ.
އިހުތިޖާޖުގެ ތެރެއިން ފުލުހުން ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފައިވަނީ 8 ފިރިހެނުންނާއި 2 އަންހެނުންނެވެ. އެމްޑީޕީގެ ގާނޫނީ ޓީމުން މައުލޫމާތު ދީފައިވާ ގޮތުގައި ހައްޔަރުކުރި މީހުންގެ ތެރޭގައި ހިމެނެނީ އަލީ ޖުމާން، މުނާޒް އަލީ، ޝުޖާއު އަފީފް، އަލީ މުޝައްފައު، އާމިނަތު މުނާ، ޝަމްއޫން ޖަލީލް، އަހްމަދު ރަމީޒް، އާމިނާ މަނިކެ، އަބްދުއްލޯ ޝަރީފް، އަދި އަހުމަދު ޝަފީގް (މީމު ސައްޕެ) އެވެ.
ލުހުން ބުނީ މި މީހުން ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފައިވަނީ ފުލުހުންގެ ގާނޫނީ ވާޖިބަށް ހުރަސް އަޅައި، ފުލުހުންގެ އަމުރަށް ނުކިޔަމަންތެރިވިކަމުގެ ތުހުމަތުގައި ކަމަށެވެ.
މީހުންގެ ބަންދާމެދު ގޮތެއް ނިންމުމަށް މިއަދު ކްރިމިނަލް ކޯޓަށް ހާޒިރުކުރުމުން، ކޯޓުން ވަނީ މުނާޒް އަލީ ފިޔަވައި ދެންތިބި 9 މީހުން 15 ދުވަހުގެ މުއްދަތަށް ބަންދުގައި ބޭތިއްބުމަށް އަމުރުކޮށްފައެވެ. ކޯޓުން ވަނީ މުނާޒް އަލީ ބަންދުން ދޫކޮށްލާފައެވެ.
މި އިހުތިޖާޖަކީ ހައްޔަރުކޮށްފައިވާ ނޫސްވެރިން ވަގުތުން މިނިވަންކުރުމަށާއި، ނޫސްވެރިކަމުގެ މިނިވަންކަމަށް ހުރަސްނޭޅުމަށް ސަރުކާރަށް ގޮވާލައި ބޭއްވި ހަރަކާތެކެވެ. ރާއްޖޭގެ ނޫސްވެރިކަމުގެ މިނިވަންކަމާ ގުޅޭގޮތުން ގިނަ ބަޔަކު ކަންބޮޑުވުން ފާޅުކުރަމުންދާ މި ދަނޑިވަޅުގައި، މިފަދަ ހައްޔަރުކުރުންތަކާ ގުޅިގެން އިދިކޮޅު ފަރާތްތަކުން ދަނީ ކަންބޮޑުވުން ފާޅުކުރަމުންނެވެ.

2026.5.14 Nine, including two women, detained from protest demanding journalists’ release
Nine people were detained from a mass protest held in Male’ City on Wednesday night demanding the release of two journalists from ‘Adhadhu’ who were imprisoned on contempt charges.
The protest, led by former President Mohamed Nasheed, kicked off from in front of the MDP Haruge.
Protestors demanded an end to intimidation and persecution of journalists.
There were several clashes between the police and protestors, the first of which erupted as the protestors reached the residence of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who earlier on Wednesday said he was willing to partner with his former political rivals Nasheed and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to “restore press freedom” in the country.
The police were seen arresting multiple protestors following the clashes.
A police spokesperson said on Thursday morning that nine protestors were taken into custody; seven men and two women.
The police said they were detained on suspicion of obstructing the police and failing to follow their instructions.
The police did not disclose the identities of the detainees.
Protestors, after heated verbal exchanges with the police outside Yameens’s residence, located near the Henveiru Artificial Beach, resumed their march and walked along the Majeedhee Magu, coming to a stop at the Majeedhee Magu-Chaandhanee Magu junction.
The huge force of riot police deployed to the area issued repeated warnings to the protestors, after which they charged at them. Physical confrontations erupted as the police attempted to dismantle the protest, with eye witnesses reporting several injuries.
Crackdown on ‘Adhadhu’
Two journalists from Adhadhu, Mohamed Shahzan and Leeval Ali Naseer, were imprisoned on Tuesday on charges of contempt of court for violating a blanket gag order issued by the Criminal Court.
Shahzan was sentenced to 15 days in prison, while Leevan was sentenced to 10 days.
The gag order was issued in a criminal case against Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and editor Hassan Mohamed on charges of making false accusations of adultery in a documentary the news outlet published on March 28.
The blanket gag order issued on Sunday explicitly prohibits any party from circulating the documentary, from directly or indirectly discussing the contents of the video, or making any comments linking any of the defendants or the victim with the documentary.
Both Leevan and Shahzan were accused of violating the gag order, Leevan with an article published regarding the issuance of the gag order and Shahzan over the questions he directed at President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Monday.
Shahzan was kicked out of the press briefing on Monday over the questions, and the President’s Office has banned ‘Adhadhu’ from all future press conferences.
Meanwhile, both Fiyaz and Hassan have travel bans issued against them, appeared at court on Wednesday for preliminary hearings in the case against them.
The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), Transparency Maldives, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have all expressed concern over the situation.

2026.5.11 Criminal court orders “Aisha” documentary be withheld along with statements on case and victim
The Criminal Court has brought criminal charges against Adhadhu’s CEO and Chief Editor Hussain Fiyaz Moosa along with Managing Editor Hassan Mohamed related to the documentary Aisha. Both have been accused of qazf, a crime associated with raising unsubstantiated adultery claims.
Together with the charges, the court provided an “order not to act in a pending case,” banning the publication, distribution, or sharing of the documentary or any of its claims, either directly or indirectly. The order additionally prohibits the two editors from discussing the verdict or the purported victim while the case remains in progress.
The court additionally directed that documents provided in the case and details related to the trial should remain confidential, emphasizing that such cases may occur in private under Article 42(c)(1) of the Constitution to maintain societal moral standards. Any violation of the order may be considered contempt of court.
The court stated that the limitations were enforced to preserve reputations, maintain the presumption of innocence, and protect the rights of the accused and the alleged victim.
Fiyaz and Hassan appeared before the police on the 29th of the previous month, where both chose to invoke their right to remain silent.
Authorities have initiated a significant inquiry into the documentary. Following a court directive, authorities conducted a raid on Adhadhu’s office, investigated the location, and confiscated numerous pieces of electronic gear and computer systems intended for journalistic purposes. This represents the first occasion in recent times that law enforcement has stormed the office of a Maldivian media organization.
Officials have also acted against the two editors individually. Their passports have been retained until July 27, and both were interrogated by the police but opted to stay silent.
The matter is currently advancing through the Criminal Court.

2026.5.11 Over 250 expatriates taken into custody during Operation Kurangi
According to Maldives Immigration, the latest phase of the operation is being conducted by dividing Malé into 26 operational zones.
The government on Saturday began the third phase of “Operation Kurangi”, a nationwide programme aimed at collecting biometric identification data of expatriate workers in the Maldives.
The operation focuses on identifying foreign nationals who have not yet submitted biometric information to authorities.
Launched in 2024, the programme seeks to establish a biometric database containing facial photographs and ten-fingerprint records of expatriate workers residing in the country.
According to Maldives Immigration, the latest phase of the operation is being conducted by dividing Malé into 26 operational zones.
Authorities stated that more than 200 Immigration officers and 100 officers from the Maldives Police Service participated in Saturday’s operation.
Between 4:00pm and 6:00pm:
639 premises were inspected;
1,344 expatriates were screened; and
254 individuals identified with irregular visa status were taken into Immigration custody.
Immigration also stated that notices were issued to 44 Maldivian employers accused of employing expatriates in violation of regulations.
The authority said action would be taken under the Maldives Immigration Act against employers who fail to comply with the notices.
Earlier on Saturday, President Mohamed Muizzu stated that biometric information had already been collected for 98% of foreign nationals residing in the Maldives under valid work permits.

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