Maldives media regulation sparks concern over press freedom

The Maldives Parliament or People’s Majlis, has handed a regulation that seeks to manage journalists and media establishments amid severe concern from native and overseas media our bodies over its obvious affect on press freedom.

Following passage of the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulations Bill late Tuesday (September 16, 2025) — it was launched by an unbiased MP final month — the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated the Bill seeks to “create a unified regulatory framework by dissolving the Maldives Media Council and the Broadcasting Commission, changing them with a brand new Media and Broadcasting Commission”.

The seven-member Media and Broadcasting Commission to be established underneath the Bill will function as an “unbiased physique comprising 4 members elected by registered media entities by means of a voting course of and three members nominated by means of an open utility course of and appointed by the Peoples Majlis”, the assertion additional stated.

However, media activists contend the laws offers the regulatory fee with sweeping powers, together with imposing stiff fines, to droop media shops or block web sites within the occasion of an investigation.

Opposition members and media our bodies have slammed the transfer, terming it an assault on press freedom. Former Foreign Minister and former President of the UNGA Abdulla Shahid accused President Mohamed Muizzu’s authorities of “declaring warfare” on free speech.

“A authorities that silences journalists is a authorities that has misplaced the braveness to face the reality. Instead of fixing the crises our nation faces, they’re attempting to censor the voices that maintain them accountable,” he stated on social media platform ‘X’.

Control the narrative

President of the Maldives Journalists Association Naif Ahmed recalled Mr. Muizzu’s election marketing campaign and noticed it was rife with “disinformation, together with about Indian navy presence”.

“The authorities doesn’t need media shops to ask tough questions in regards to the economic system or about its persevering with relationship with India. They want to management the narrative by curbing media freedom,” he advised The Hindu from the capital, Male. The tourism-reliant economic system of the island nation has been underneath pressure owing to excessive overseas debt and a large fiscal deficit.

A World Bank Update in April this 12 months projected an increase in inflation from 1.4% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2025, as resident take care of excessive residing prices, stagnant incomes and joblessness. Many authorities critics use social media platforms to voice their discontent about authorities insurance policies. Observing that the federal government has “opened a brand new door to web censorship”, Mr. Ahmed stated regardless of many appeals from the media trade, the federal government “rushed by means of” the Bill, avoiding any severe session.

After President Mohamed Muizzu’s victory in 2023, his People’s National Congress gained a brilliant majority within the 93-member home final 12 months.

Weighing in on the event the Committee to Protect Journalists, a world non-profit engaged on selling media freedom, stated the Bill would “undermine the work of unbiased journalists and place the media underneath authorities management”.