Govt defends media bill amid criticism
The ruling PNC, which holds a super majority in Parliament, passed the bill in an expedited process.
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The government has defended the passage of the media regulation bill, which establishes a commission with powers to regulate the media, in response to criticism from abroad.
The ruling PNC, which holds a super majority in Parliament, passed the bill in an expedited process. Several parliamentary procedures were not followed in the process. These included:
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Rules requiring the time and agenda of a session to be announced six hours in advance were not observed. Members were informed of the time one hour before, and the agenda was published less than a minute before the session began.
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The meeting was announced on Monday, but no further details were released. The parliamentary website was unavailable from the previous afternoon until the session began.
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Legal recommendations from the council general to the committee reviewing the bill were not made public.
Following the passage of the bill, the US Embassy, regional associations, international newspapers, and journalist organisations issued statements of concern.
Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel defended the bill in a post on X, stating that it aimed to prevent the spread of false information while protecting press freedom. He said the bill did not restrict constitutional rights of journalists. According to Khaleel, three members of the regulatory commission would be appointed by Parliament, while the majority would be chosen by the media. He added that the bill would not cover social media posts by individuals in a personal capacity.
Defence Minister Gassan Maumoon also responded to criticism in a post directed at former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, stating that the bill had been passed in accordance with parliamentary procedure, with media participation.
Journalists, however, argue that concerns remain unaddressed despite amendments by the committee and the House. Their main concerns include:
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The Media Council should consist solely of members representing newspapers and the media.
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The government and Parliament should not be involved in regulating journalists.
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Social media posts remain subject to regulation, as the definition of electronic resources under the bill still includes the internet.
The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has called for four months to conduct a review of the bill and propose amendments to the Media Council Act.
