Defamation Act bill will be submitted to current Parliament

Attorney General Ahmed Usham announced that he is currently working on submitting the Defamation and Freedom of Speech Act to the current parliamentary term.

While answering an MP's question during a Parliament sitting, Usham stated that the work surrounding the Defamation Act needs to be expedited. He went on to say that this is due to laws surrounding the common rules that empower the compensation of defamation will expire next year.

The Common Law Act was a temporary act that was established to strengthen certain laws that came about during 2008 when a new Constitution was formed.

The law was passed at the time with a certain annulment date in mind. However, as there were no new laws that came into effect to strengthen the same laws that were empowered by the act, the Parliament kept extending the validity of the act. 

The AG expressed that he does not want the regulations regarding common laws be extended any further.

"And so before we reach the expiration, it is important the Parliament passes a defamation law instead of a defamation regulation, and we are working towards that as we speak," said Usham.

He also stated that the bill will be included in the list of bills the AG office will submit within this term to the Parliament, with the office working towards that end.

Then-AG Ibrahim Riffath sent in a list to the 19th Parliament, which included changing the rule of defamation compensation into an act. However, the bill was not submitted.

Even though the Defamation and Freedom of Speech Act was passed during the 18th Parliament, it was repealed by the 19th Parliament.