Hithadhoo Central MP and a former journalist Ahmed Azaan, has said that the proposed Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill contains provisions that could be abused and must be amended before becoming law.
Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the bill which a broad spectrum of powers to regulate journalism, MP Azaan said that while the media should operate within limits, certain clauses risk undermining press freedom.
“I think the fourth estate should also operate within these limits … I think the purpose of the bill being debated today is to put the media within those regulatory frameworks and limits,” he said.
MP Azaan also reflected on his own experiences as a journalist. Between 2018 and 2023, he was summoned four times for questioning over media-related issues. He recalled being accused of terrorism after visiting land allocated for housing during the previous administration.
“The then President said he would give us land from a place and when we went to see where the lands were, they accused us of terrorism and filed a case. Many of our friends were fired for tweeting,” he said.
He said that laws framed in this way could easily be misused by future governments.
“When making a law, it is important to realize that a party will not remain in power forever. If a government like the previous one comes, such laws will be used against journalists and freedom of thought,” he said.
Journalists have also voiced concern over the bill. MP Azaan highlighted section 66, which allows the broadcasting commission to suspend a newspaper once it begins investigating a case.
“This is totally unacceptable. This gives the commission the opportunity to act unfairly,” he said.
He noted that while the bill grants courts the power to revoke a newspaper’s licence, it also allows the commission to suspend publications indefinitely, undermining judicial oversight. It further empowers the commission to investigate matters deemed a threat to national security.
“If such a law is passed, a government will again have legal authority to shut down certain ideas,” Azaan said.
“I do not see this bill being passed in its current state.”
He added that media professionals recognize the need for regulation but urged the government to consult experts and journalists when drafting the legislation.
The Maldives Media Council, Maldives Journalists Association and opposition parties have also called for the bill’s withdrawal.
