By Uditha Jayasinghe
COLOMBO (Reuters) -Journalists in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation of the Maldives will appeal to the country’s Supreme Court to repeal a new law that they say seeks to stifle the media and impose steep fines on violators, a journalists’ association said on Thursday.
The legislation, called the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, was signed into law by President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday. It creates a seven-member ‘Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission’ with sweeping powers.
The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) said the commission can suspend media registrations during investigations, block news websites, halt broadcasts and also control social media.
It can also fine journalists between MVR 5,000-25,000 ($325–$1,620) and media outlets up to MVR 100,000 ($6,500). Three of its commissioners and the chair will be presidential appointees, and parliament can remove members nominated by media outlets, making it government-controlled in reality, MJA said.
“Media should be self-regulated and state regulation should not be allowed,” MJA president Naaif Ahmed told Reuters by phone.
“We will not obey this law. We will go to the Supreme Court and ask it to dismantle this law,” he said.
The Maldives president’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel posted on X that the law unifies oversight under an independent commission, ensuring transparency and independence from executive control, while modernising registration, setting clear professional standards and strengthening public confidence in the media.
The Maldives, a scenic South Asian country of about 530,000 people, has witnessed intense local political rivalries and geopolitical manoeuvres involving India and China in recent years.
Global media watchdogs estimate that it is home to 200-300 registered media outlets although fewer than 100 are active. It was ranked 104 on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, down two places from 2024.
(Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by YP Rajesh, Aidan Lewis)
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