Maldives Media Bill: A Blow to Press Freedom

The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, passed with a resounding 60 votes in favor and only one against, has sent shockwaves through the country's media landscape. The bill, which was introduced on August 18, 2025, has been met with fierce opposition from journalists, opposition MPs, and citizens alike, who have taken to the streets in protest. The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has been at the forefront of this resistance, condemning the lack of transparency in the legislative process and the government's heavy-handed tactics.

The bill's passage was marred by a series of undemocratic maneuvers. The final version of the bill was not shared with the public or MPs ahead of the sitting, preventing any meaningful review of the Independent Institutions Committee's changes. A legislative committee report was also not disclosed to the public or MPs until just 30 minutes before the vote. Journalists were blocked from committee proceedings despite registering to observe, and MJA President General Naaif Ahmed and former executive member Muzayin Nazim were forcibly removed from the session. The committee chair also refused to table a petition signed by 151 journalists to reject the bill, despite earlier assurances.

The voting session on September 16 was a chaotic affair. Police forcibly dispersed journalists while allowing a ruling-party counter-protest. Maldives Media Council (MMC) member and journalist Leevan Ali Nasir was violently arrested before being released the same day, and Adhadhu journalist Ahmed Aaidh was assaulted and beaten by police. Police also attempted to seize cameras and broadcasting equipment from other journalists during the protest.

Since the bill's introduction, the MJA has documented coordinated online smear campaigns against members and journalists in opposition under the #PassTheMediaBill hashtag. These have included unsubstantiated corruption claims, circulation of defamatory doctored photographs, and branding of reporters as ‘agents of the West,’ with some attacks coming from ruling-party MPs. On August 27, Majority Leader Ibrahim Falah declared journalists should be “impaled,” rhetoric MJA condemned as incitement to violence against journalists. Political appointees particularly targeted women journalists leading MJA’s campaign, and multiple death threats were leveraged against media workers who opposed the Bill, including a threat from an anonymous X account against Adhadhu editor Hussain Fiyaz Moosa. Maldivian Attorney General Ahmed Usham also accused journalists leading action against the Bill of “twisting” the truth and deliberately misleading the public.

The bill's passage follows strong local and international opposition from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), MJA, media workers, human rights and press freedom groups, and trade unions. The MJA said the bill, drafted without consultation and involving senior parliamentary figures despite being submitted by an independent member, will stifle independent reporting and create a climate of fear. On August 28, the MJA delivered a joint letter to President Muizzu, signed by 21 non-government organisations and South Asian media unions including the IFJ, requesting four months to review the draft on September 2, and hosted a public forum highlighting the Bill’s risks on September 13.

The new law dissolves the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), creating a government-controlled seven-member “Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission” with sweeping powers. Three commissioners and the chair will be presidential appointees, and parliament may remove members nominated by media outlets. The commission will have the power to heavily fine journalists between MVR 5,000-25,000 (approx. USD 325–1,620) and media outlets up to MVR 100,000 (approx. USD 6,490), suspend media registrations during investigations, block news websites, and halt broadcasts.

The MJA said: “Journalists stand together in defiance of this takeover of the media by the executive branch. MJA continues our call to reject the bill and calls on President Muizzu to immediately reject the unconstitutional bill.”

The IFJ said: “The IFJ condemns the Maldivian parliament’s passage of its media control bill as a direct assault on press freedom and democracy, which empowers the government to censor, punish and silence independent journalism. IFJ stands resolutely in solidarity with the MJA in the face of abhorrent attacks, harassment, arrest, and intimidation levelled against its members, and calls for the Bill’s immediate repeal.”

The passage of the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill is a stark reminder of the fragility of press freedom in the face of authoritarian tendencies. The bill's draconian measures, coupled with the government's heavy-handed tactics, have created a chilling effect on journalism in the Maldives. The international community must stand in solidarity with the Maldivian journalists and demand the repeal of this unconstitutional bill. The future of press freedom in the Maldives hangs in the balance, and the world must not turn a blind eye to this assault on democracy.