A petition has been presented requesting the repeal of the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act—often called the “Media Control Act”—and the creation of new laws that create a regulatory structure for the media while protecting press rights and freedoms.

The petition, presented by Mohamed Usam Ubaidhulla, an Executive Board member of the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), indicated that the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill was approved last September despite major concerns voiced by journalists and civil society groups over its provisions.

The petition also emphasized that the bill was approved despite the MJA's request for a four-month duration to carry out and present a thorough review of current media and broadcasting regulations before the new legislation was enacted.

The petition states that the existing law is designed in a way that violates essential rights protected by the Constitution, such as the right to equality, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to access and share information, the right to employment, and the right to equitable administrative processes.

Additionally, it claims that the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act was created in violation of the criteria established in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)—of which the Maldives is a signatory—especially concerning the lawful restrictions on freedom of expression, press freedom, and the right to employment.

The petition also emphasizes that the law provides the Media and Broadcasting Commission with broad and unlimited powers, which include the ability to suspend particular content before investigations are finished, along with the authority to revoke the licenses of newspapers and broadcasting services.

The petition proposes the creation and submission of a new bill, following consultations with media organizations and civil society, while including legal safeguards that control the media and uphold its independence and rights protection.

The e-petition portal of Parliament indicates that the petition submitted last Sunday has garnered 15 signatures to date. It will be available for signatures until June 16th.

Significantly, MJA, in a declaration on May 3rd marking World Press Freedom Day, put forth nine primary demands to the government. This involves the prompt abolishment of the Media Control Act to facilitate the creation of a self-regulatory system, as well as halting the criminal probe into the online news platform ‘Adhadhu’ regarding the documentary ‘Aisha’.

In its statement for World Press Freedom Day, the MJA emphasized that the four-place drop in the RSF index highlights an immediate necessity for effective actions to protect press freedom in the Maldives.

The Maldives has dropped to 108th position in the recent World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This signifies a drop of four places from its previous ranking of 104th last year. As per the RSF report, the nation's total score has fallen from 52.46 to 49.23. Significant reductions were observed in multiple indicators, as the political ranking fell from 123 to 129, the economic ranking decreased from 118 to 157, the legal ranking declined from 103 to 126, and the security ranking dropped from 56 to 77.

Consequently, Maldives is now classified as a country where practicing journalism is regarded as challenging.