The cameraman of local television channel Raajje TV has appealed the Criminal Court’s verdict ordering him to pay a fine of MVR 3,000 after he was convicted of obstructing police.
Adam Zareer is convicted for pushing police barricades in an attempt to enter a restricted area during a protest in March 2015. Though his offence carries a jail term in addition to a penalty, the court narrowed his sentence down to a fine of MVR 3,000 as this is Zareer’s first proven criminal offence.
The Criminal Court had also passed verdicts on two other journalists of Raajje TV, Mohamed Visam and Leevan Naseer, sentencing them to pay over MVR 28,000 each under the Penal Code for obstructing police. The journalists have appealed their case as well.
In addition, Raajje TV’s CEO Hussain Fiyaz is also currently undergoing a separate criminal trial for allegedly striking a policeman.