Journalists petition against controversial media regulation bill

A growing number of journalists in the Maldives have begun signing a petition opposing the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill introduced by B. Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan, claiming it threatens press freedom and undermines constitutional rights.

The bill, proposed by MP Hannan, has already drawn criticism from key industry bodies including Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), both of which have publicly expressed their disapproval.

According to the petition, the proposed legislation would severely restrict the constitutional rights of the press, enabling a government-majority political party to exercise control over the media. It outlines several provisions that petitioners say would:

Journalists are concerned that the bill would create a media regulatory commission appointed by the President, undermining the self-regulatory model and placing media oversight under political control.

Additionally, the bill is said to be based on broadcasting laws from foreign countries that operate within different legal and media frameworks. The petition notes that those countries maintain independent, self-regulatory bodies for media governance — a key element missing from the proposed bill.

“This bill is designed to limit the freedom of journalists and prevent them from fulfilling their responsibilities to the fullest extent. It will make it even more difficult for journalists to disseminate information impartially to the wider public,” the petition states.

Petitioners argue that the bill makes major changes to the journalism sector without proper consultation, contradicting the Attorney General’s earlier promise to involve the media community in drafting such legislation.

Journalists are calling on Members of Parliament to withdraw the bill, urging instead for meaningful dialogue and reforms that strengthen media freedom rather than curtail it.