No efforts to introduce a bill regulating internet, journalism: gov’t
Heena said that from the very first day the top priority policy has been to establish and maintain media freedom in the “broadest” sense
Heena Waleed, the Chief Spokesperson at the President's Office
The government has given assurance that it is not making any efforts to introduce a bill regulating journalism and the internet.
Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office Heena Waleed said that the government is not making any efforts to introduce a bill regulating journalism and the internet, and that such a bill is not included in the government's legislative agenda.
She also noted that there are no plans to introduce such a bill in the future, and as previously stated, the government's policy is to deregulate media outlets and provide opportunities for a self-regulatory system.
Heena said that from the very first day of the current administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, the top priority policy has been to establish and maintain media freedom in the “broadest” sense.
The government has given this assurance that it is not making any efforts to introduce a bill regulating journalism and the internet in response to the Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis, Ahmed Nazim, stating that the work on a bill proposing to regulate media outlets and internet platforms is now at a very late stage. Although Nazim said this in an interview with Sun Media, after the government denied this, he issued a statement saying that the newspapers had misrepresented his comments about the bill to be submitted to the People's Majlis to regulate media outlets and the internet. He also said that social media needs to be regulated and that crimes committed using these platforms have increased. However, the statement said that he does not wish to block these platforms.
While rumors have again spread that the government is working to introduce a bill regulating journalism and the internet, on 13 November 2024, a bill was submitted to the People's Majlis by the government through MP for Thulhaadhoo constituency Abdulla Hannan Aboobakuru, which would allow for fines to be imposed on newspapers, TV stations, and journalists. However, amid widespread criticism, the bill was rejected by the People’s Majlis, and the president asserted that he does not support the bill.
