Lawyer fined MVR 5,000 for courtroom sketch

A lawyer has been fined after he sketched the courtroom while a trial was in progress in Supreme Court.

Lawyer Mohamed Shafaz Wajeeh was fined MVR 5,000 after he sketched the trial held yesterday of the case filed by Ahmed Zaneen Adam against the Elections Commission.

Shafaz Waheed told Sun that he was fined after the court decided that sketching a trial including the judges and lawyers present, is a violation of the general procedures of the court.

Article 76 (a) of the Judicature Act states that during the court proceedings, if a party leaves the court without the consent of the court, or if a person conducts themselves in the court in a manner which contravenes the order of the court, or if a party disobeys the orders of a court, in taking into consideration the graveness of the matter the judge has the discretion to issue an instant sentence.

The sentence for this offence is a fine which does not exceed MVR 10,000, or imprisonment of not more than 15 days, or house arrest of not more than 1 month.

Shafaz Waheed used the notebook and pencil provided to trial attendees to sketch the courtroom.

He said that there were no signs in the room saying that this act is prohibited, and the court did not given any instructions in this regard either.

President of Maldives Bar Association Husnu Suood expressed concern over a lawyer being fined for a courtroom sketch.

He said that a person cannot be punished under Article 76 of the Judicature Act for this act, and that it is common also in other countries to sketch courtrooms.