New bill defines defamation and sets damages of up to MVR 2 million

People who suffer damage to their reputation as a result of defamatory statements could claim compensation of up to MVR 2 million under a new bill submitted to Parliament by the government.

The Defamation Bill, introduced by the ruling People's National Congress (PNC)Vilimale' constituency MP Mohamed Ismail, seeks to establish a legal framework allowing individuals to pursue civil action over defamatory statements made through speech, writing, drawings, songs, broadcast media, social media platforms and online services.

Under the proposed legislation, defamation is defined as the publication of false information that harms a person's reputation, diminishes public respect for them or causes them to face hatred or contempt within society.

The bill states that defamatory content may include false statements conveyed through speech, writing, drawings, television broadcasts, internet platforms and other forms of communication.

According to the legislation, a statement will be deemed to refer to a person if their name or photograph is used. It further states that even if a person's name or image is not directly mentioned, the statement may still be considered defamatory if it is reasonably understood to refer to that individual.

However, the bill specifies that truthful statements do not constitute defamation.

The legislation would also establish standards for assessing damage to a person's reputation and encourages parties to seek out-of-court resolution of disputes. Proposed remedies include correcting defamatory information, issuing an apology, publishing the apology, removing the offending content or paying compensation. The party bringing the claim would retain the right to withdraw a settlement proposal.

Under the bill, defamation claims must be filed within one year of the alleged incident, while courts would be required to reach a decision within a maximum of six months from the date the case is lodged.

The proposed law would allow courts to award compensation ranging from MVR 200,000 to MVR 2 million, depending on the extent of the damage suffered as a result of the defamation.