MMC: Bill opens door for media outlets to get shut down on unfounded claims

The Maldives Media Council (MMC) followed the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in condemning the new media control bill submitted to the Parliament on Tuesday, expressing concern that it opens the door for media outlets to be unjustly sanctioned or even shut down in response to allegations of infractions, without needing for it to be proven in a court of law.

On Monday, Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent lawmaker aligned with the government, submitted a new bill that seeks to dissolve the MMC and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom), replacing them with a single body — the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission.

The new bill follows a similar one submitted by Hannan back in November 2024, which was later withdrawn following pushback from media.

The new bill empowers the proposed commission to impose major penalties against media outlets as well as individual journalists, including during the investigative stage. This includes:

• Fines of MVR 5,000 -25,000 against journalists for failure to comply with the commission’s instructions.
• Fines of up to MVR 100,000 against media outlets and magazines for legal violations.
• Temporary suspension of registrations during ongoing commission probes.
• Permanently revoking registrations through the courts.
• Blocking websites during ongoing probes.
• Ordering the cessation of broadcasting.

In a statement on Tuesday, as the Parliament held the first reading of the bill, the MMC said that the bill, as a whole, severely curtails the freedom of press enshrined in the constitution.

“This bill completely overhauls the current independent self-regulatory media system and allows incumbent administrations and majority parties in the Parliament full control over the press,” said the council.

ނޫސްބަޔާން:
"މޯލްޑިވްސް މީޑިއާ އެންޑް ބްރޯޑްކާސްޓިންގ ރެގިއުލޭޝަންގެ ބިލު" ބޭރުކުރުމަށް ގޮވާލުން! pic.twitter.com/ADL3JHguUq

— Maldives Media Council (@mmc_mv) August 19, 2025

 According to the new Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, the seven-member commission will be composed of four members elected by the media and three appointed by the President with parliamentary approval, with the President also given the authority to appoint the commission’s head. Meanwhile, the bill also allows the Parliament to dismiss commission members, including those elected by medias, through no-confidence votes.

MMC said that these changes pose a huge obstacle to the freedom of the press, and allows the President and the Parliament to consolidate power.

The council also expressed concern that the bill also threatens the right of media outlets to protect their sources – a right that is enshrined in Article 28 of the Constitution.

The MMC also followed MJA in slamming the use of ambiguous phrases in the bill that can be exploited to unfairly punish media outlets.

“And, it also opens the door for media outlets to get unjustly sanctioned, and empowers the proposed commission the power to shut down these media outlets before a case is proven through the court system,” said the council.

MMC said the bill goes against the spirit of the Constitution, poses a serious threat to press freedom, and rolls back years of hard-fought rights.

The council urged Hannan to withdraw the bill.

But while the MMC, the MJA and the opposition protest against the new media bill as a threat to press freedom, it is backed by the government, which insists the legislature is designed to empower the press and protect press freedom.