Emergency motion over contentious media bill rejected

Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla decided on Thursday to reject an emergency motion submitted by South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), expressing concern over a new media bill formulated by the government.

The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission Bill is designed to create a new media commission by merging the Maldives Broadcasting Commission and the Maldives Media Council.

The government bill is sponsored by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdulla Hannan, who got elected as an independent.

The new bill will create a seven-member Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission. Four of the members, including the president and vice president of the commission, will be appointed by the president with parliamentary approval. The remaining three members will be elected by broadcasters and medias. It also introduces fines of up to MVR 10,000 for individual reporters.

A number of groups, including the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), as well as the MDP, have expressed concern that the bill allows the government to influence medias and suppress press freedom.

Opening Thursday’s sitting, Speaker Abdul Raheem announced that the Parliament has received an emergency motion from Meekail. But he said that the motion was rejected as it did not fit the criteria for emergency motions. He did not specify which criteria he was referring to.

In his motion, Meekail stressed that the freedom of expression and freedom of the press are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution for as long as it does not violate principles of Islam.

He said that the new media bill is designed to provide the government with full control over regulating medias.

He said that in addition to empowering the president to directly appoint a controlling majority of commissioners, it also gives the government the power to fine individual journalists by high sums of money and shut down medias with impunity.

Meekail described it as just the latest in crimes being committed by the government by misusing its supermajority in the Parliament to curtail fundamental civic and political rights of citizens.

He accused the government of systemically curtailing fundamental rights by targeting one right after the other.

“I univocally condemn all acts by the government to curtail the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, and submit this emergency motion asking the government and the Parliament to stop using the Parliament in such a despicable and autocratic manner to pass such uncivilized bills,” he said.

The new bill sets down guidelines for broadcasters and medias, including safeguarding national security, promoting principles of upholding the legitimate government, and protecting the dignity and private affairs of individuals.

The new commission will be charged with formulating the code of ethics for medias and journalists, the violation of which can be punishable with fines, suspension of license and demands for public apologies.

Repeated violation of the code of ethics will be punishable with fines of MVR 5,000 to MVR 50,000 for medias, and fines of MVR 5,000 to MVR 10,000 for individual journalists.