Former President Mohamed Nasheed has urged all political parties to unite for talks regarding the Media Bill, which he characterized as a significant national issue.

“The resolution to this problem rests in a gathering of all political factions,” Nasheed stated today, emphasizing that freedom of the press is crucial, but that journalists must also be held responsible for their actions.

The legislation, initially proposed by Thulhadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Abubakur, has been approved by Parliament and sent to the Committee on Independent Institutions for additional examination. The committee has established a deadline of the 15th of next month to finish its tasks.

According to the present draft, reporters might incur penalties of MVR 25,000, whereas publications could be penalized up to MVR 100,000. Media licenses may be revoked and news sites could be restricted. The legislation mandates that media organizations must apologize for disseminating incorrect information, yet journalists have expressed worries about who will hold the power to define what is “true” or “false.”

A major criticism of the legislation is that it allows the President to select three members for the media commission, a decision that opponents argue jeopardizes the concept of a self-regulating framework, viewed as the global standard, and poses a threat of governmental control over the media. The legislation additionally allows Parliament to dismiss members chosen by journalists and gives state agencies, such as the police, the power to conduct raids on newsrooms if considered a threat to national security.