The government wants journalists to face constant fear and pressure, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid said on Sunday night, after a new media control bill was introduced in parliament.
Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill was introduced by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru. It aims to increase government control of media through fines and suspension of registrations.
The former Speaker of the People's Majlis and former President of the United Nations General Assembly wrote in a post on X: "One of the most basic characteristics of a dictatorship is the destruction of a free press."
“I call on all journalists and honorable MPs not to allow this government to take away the freedom of the Maldivian press, which reached this day with many sacrifices,” he said.
The new Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission will be established if the bill is approved by the government-controlled People's Majlis and ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu.
This means the current Broadcasting Commission of the Maldives (Broadcom) and Maldives Media Council (MMC) will be abolished.
The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission will be made up of seven members, three of whom will be appointed by the President.
The other four members will be elected by the media. Media outlets that were registered less than five years ago will be barred from the election.
Shahid warned about the dangers of regulating the press through a Chairperson appointed by the President who will have the power to impose fines and revoke registrations.
"This will be a major challenge to the democracy that the Maldives has accepted," he added.
The bill does not explain why a commission to regulate the media needs members appointed by the President. It further states that the Chairperson of the commission will also be appointed by the President.
The bill gives the new commission substantial powers. These include fines of up to MVR 100,000 for media outlets and temporary cancellation of registration before a case is investigated. The commission can also go to court to revoke a registration.
The commission will also be empowered to issue orders to block a news website or stop a broadcast while it investigates a case.
