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President Muizzu’s government says it will modernise oversight, but journalists call it a direct assault on press freedom
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu. (File Image/Reuters)
President Mohamed Muizzu has ratified a new media law that has triggered an outcry from journalists and opposition parties in the Maldives. The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act gives sweeping powers to a new commission, allows fines against reporters and outlets, and permits authorities to suspend or even shut down media organisations.
The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), international press bodies, and opposition leaders say the legislation will muzzle the press, while the government insists it will modernise oversight and protect freedom of expression.
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What Does The New Law Say?
The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act is a new piece of legislation that creates a seven-member Media and Broadcasting Commission to oversee the country’s press and broadcasters. Until now, oversight was split between two separate bodies, the Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission. These bodies are now dissolved, with their functions merged into the new commission.
According to AP, the commission has powers to suspend media licences during investigations, block websites, halt broadcasts midway, and go to court to cancel licences. The law empowers authorities to send police to physically stop broadcasts if they are considered in violation.
The law sets penalties of up to MVR 25,000 (around $1,620) against individual journalists and MVR 100,000 (around $6,500) against media outlets. Although between 200 and 300 outlets are registered in the Maldives, fewer than 50 remain active, meaning the law could disproportionately affect a smaller number of functioning newsrooms.
The Act also imposes obligations on content, requiring journalists to respect the country’s constitution, Islam, national security, public order, social values, personal honour, and human rights. It further calls for “false” or “misleading” information to be corrected and apologised for, though the law does not define what qualifies as fake news.
How Was It Passed in Parliament?
The Maldives’ parliament, officially called the People’s Majlis, has 93 seats. On the day of the vote, an extraordinary session was convened while parliament was in recess. Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim presided over the debate and had seven opposition MPs evicted for protesting.
Some legislators complained they were given just 15 minutes to read the bill before debate began. Despite this, the government’s comfortable majority in parliament meant the bill went through with ease: 60 lawmakers voted in favour, while just one opposition MP voted against it.
Outside, demonstrators clashed with police in riot gear, and two people were arrested. Journalists were not allowed inside parliament to cover the proceedings. The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), which came to power with a strong mandate in 2023 under President Muizzu, controls enough seats to pass contentious bills even amid opposition protests.
What Do Journalists Say?
The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has emerged as the leading opponent of the new law. Its president, Naaif Ahmed, told Reuters: “Media should be self-regulated and state regulation should not be allowed. We will not obey this law. We will go to the Supreme Court and ask it to dismantle this law.”
The MJA argues that the commission is not independent. Although four of the seven commissioners are to be nominated by registered media outlets, parliament has the power to remove them. The other three members and the chair are appointed by the president. In practice, the association says, this gives the government control of the body.
Journalists also warn that the broad obligations in the Act, such as protecting “social values” and “personal honour”, could be used to silence critical reporting.
How Have Global Media Watchdogs Responded?
Several international organisations have condemned the law. The Committee to Protect Journalists called it a “grave threat to press freedom and media independence.” The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) along with its Maldivian affiliate the MJA, called it “draconian” and accused the Muizzu government of trying to “muzzle the press.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted that the Maldives fell two places in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking 104th out of 180 countries. That ranking, RSF said, reflects a worsening environment for independent media in the country.
Why Is Muizzu Government Defending The Law?
President Muizzu’s administration has defended the law, saying it strengthens rather than weakens media accountability. Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel wrote on X that it “unifies oversight under an independent commission, ensures transparency, and modernises registration.”
Khaleel argued that the law sets clear professional standards, strengthens public trust in the media, and safeguards the constitutional right to freedom of expression. He also stressed that private social media accounts are not covered, countering fears that all online speech would be regulated.
Opposition Calling It The End Of Press Freedom
Opposition figures in the Maldives have condemned both the content of the law and the manner in which it was passed. Former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said it marked “the end of press freedom in Maldives.”
Former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid wrote on X that the government was “declaring war on free speech,” warning: “A government that silences journalists is a government that has lost the courage to face the truth.”
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) described the passage of the bill as a “sad day for democracy in the Maldives” and urged the public to protest.
What Does This Mean For Maldives’ Democracy?
The Maldives is a small island nation of around 530,000 people, best known globally as a luxury tourist destination. But it also has a turbulent political history. The country only became a multiparty democracy in 2008, ending 30 years of autocratic rule. Since then, it has struggled with instability, with frequent political confrontations and competing alignments with India and China.
The new media law lands in that fragile context. Journalists and civil society groups say it undermines the democratic space that has existed since 2008, while the government frames it as a necessary reform to counter misinformation.
The MJA has pledged to challenge the law in the Supreme Court, setting up a direct confrontation that could shape the future of media freedom in the Maldives.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
September 19, 2025, 16:42 IST
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