A new media law ratified by the President on 18 September will seriously undermine media freedom and the right to freedom of expression for the people of the Maldives if not withdrawn.
The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Law introduces rules incompatible with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Maldives is a State party, including overly broad content restrictions on the media, as well as on journalists and media workers. It also grants the new Media and Broadcasting Commission intrusive powers to conduct investigations, impose fines on media workers, and revoke and cancel licenses and permits of media outlets.
The new law follows a worrying erosion of institutional checks and balances in the past year. An independent, free, plural and diverse media is a core component of the right to freedom of expression and a cornerstone of democratic society.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk appeals to the authorities to repeal the legislation and offers the Office's assistance to the Maldives in ensuring any media reforms comply with its international human rights obligations.
