The Maldives Parliament or People's Majlis, has passed a law that seeks to regulate journalists and media institutions amid serious concern from local and foreign media bodies over its apparent impact on press freedom.

Following passage of the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulations Bill late Tuesday (September 16, 2025) -- it was introduced by an independent MP last month -- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Bill seeks to "create a unified regulatory framework by dissolving the Maldives Media Council and the Broadcasting Commission, replacing them with a new Media and Broadcasting Commission".

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The seven-member Media and Broadcasting Commission to be established under the Bill will operate as an "independent body comprising four members elected by registered media entities through a voting process and three members nominated through an open application process and appointed by the Peoples Majlis", the statement further said.

However, media activists contend the legislation gives the regulatory commission with sweeping powers, including imposing stiff fines, to suspend media outlets or block websites in the event of an investigation.

Opposition members and media bodies have slammed the move, terming it an assault on press freedom. Former Foreign Minister and former President of the UNGA Abdulla Shahid accused President Mohamed Muizzu's government of "declaring war" on free speech.

"A government that silences journalists is a government that has lost the courage to face the truth. Instead of fixing the crises our nation faces, they are trying to censor the voices that hold them accountable," he said on social media platform 'X'.

Control the narrative

President of the Maldives Journalists Association Naif Ahmed recalled Mr. Muizzu's election campaign and observed it was rife with "disinformation, including about Indian military presence".

"The government does not want media outlets to ask difficult questions about the economy or about its continuing relationship with India. They wish to control the narrative by curbing media freedom," he told The Hindu from the capital, Male. The tourism-reliant economy of the island nation has been under strain owing to high foreign debt and a wide fiscal deficit.

A World Bank Update in April this year projected a rise in inflation from 1.4% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2025, as resident contend with high living costs, stagnant incomes and joblessness. Many government critics use social media platforms to voice their discontent about government policies. Observing that the government has "opened a new door to internet censorship", Mr. Ahmed said despite many appeals from the media industry, the government "rushed through" the Bill, avoiding any serious consultation.

After President Mohamed Muizzu's victory in 2023, his People's National Congress won a super majority in the 93-member house last year.

Weighing in on the development the Committee to Protect Journalists, a global non-profit working on promoting media freedom, said the Bill would "undermine the work of independent journalists and place the media under government control".

Maldives media law sparks concern over press freedom