Attorney General Usham proposes major amendments to media regulation bill

Attorney General Ahmed Usham has submitted a set of 15 amendments to the controversial Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, including key changes aimed at addressing concerns raised by journalists and media organizations.

In a post on X, AG Usham announced that the government has proposed removing the provision that would allow action to be taken against individual journalists and media workers. This clause, found under Article 67 of the original bill, has been one of the main sources of concern among journalists.

Another significant amendment seeks to remove the clause that would allow the Media Commission to temporarily suspend the registration of a media outlet while it investigates a complaint.

The AG's Office also proposed replacing the current standard for information disclosure in disputed cases (Article 44) with a new standard focused on "Disclosure of Information in Matters of Public Interest."

Additional proposed changes include amendments to Articles 17, 19, and 20 of the bill to remove the President’s role in appointing and dismissing members of the regulatory commission. Instead, a new clause would allow for the removal of a commission member based on eligibility criteria.

These revisions come amid ongoing protests by journalists, who have been strongly opposing the bill. Many protested both the bill itself, proposed by MP Abdul Hannan Abubakuru, and the closed-door meetings of the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee.

The Media Council, Broadcasting Commission, and over 20 media outlets have also publicly rejected the bill, urging its complete withdrawal.

The Attorney General's Office confirmed that additional amendments were submitted in response to concerns raised by media professionals.