MMC urges parliament to reject media bill
The Parliament is reviewing the bill despite calls from journalists, the MMC, and local and international organisations to withdraw it.
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The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has called on Parliament to reject the proposed media regulation bill, warning that it imposes sanctions on the press through a government-controlled commission.
The Parliament is reviewing the bill despite calls from journalists, the MMC, and local and international organisations to withdraw it.
MMC members attended a parliamentary committee meeting on Sunday to present their views. Council President Hussain Sageef said the bill was drafted without input from the MMC or other stakeholders and lacked a national-level review.
Sageef noted that defamatory content often originates from unregistered websites that continue to operate even if taken down, often using international hosting. He argued that the bill contains provisions that cannot be implemented in practice.
Other MMC members raised additional concerns:
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Of the seven-member commission proposed, four would be elected by the media, but with state media included, the government would hold control.
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Parliament would hold the power to dismiss all members, undermining the independence of the commission.
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The bill makes no provision for protection of journalists.
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Temporary closure of outlets, detention of journalists, and heavy fines beyond average salaries would weaken press freedom.
Sageef also said the bill could negatively affect the Maldives’ standing in the Press Freedom Index, citing concerns raised by Reporters Without Borders.
MMC Vice President Ibrahim Mohamed highlighted existing structural challenges. The council has a budget of about MVR 400,000 per month, only 14 staff, and lacks sufficient monitoring mechanisms.
Despite these constraints, he said, the MMC has resolved 52 cases this year, with 16 cases still pending. Nine of these involved registered newspapers, while 58 were linked to unregistered online platforms.
Earlier on Sunday, members of the Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) also opposed the bill. They called for a national-level study before advancing such legislation to Parliament.
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