President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has today ratified the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, making it law across the Maldives. The People’s Majlis passed the bill last Tuesday amidst vocal opposition from journalists and major media organizations.
With today’s ratification, the Maldives Media Council (MMC) has been dissolved, and all positions within the Broadcasting Commission have been terminated. The sweeping changes come at a time of heightened concern among media professionals, who have expressed fears over press freedom and the future of independent journalism in the country.
Both the MMC and the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) had called on the president not to ratify the legislation, arguing that critical concerns remained unaddressed, even after the Majlis passed the bill with amendments. Following today’s presidential approval, the two organizations announced their intention to challenge the new law in court in a bid to secure its annulment.
The new media law introduces a restructured regulatory framework, replacing the previously independent bodies with mechanisms overseen directly by the government. As the Maldives navigates this new phase of media governance, the legal challenge by MMC and MJA will be a focal point in the ongoing debate over press freedom and regulation.
