The United Nations human rights chief on Thursday called on the Maldives to repeal a newly ratified media law, warning it could gravely undermine press freedom and freedom of expression in the country.
The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, signed into law by President Mohamed Muizzu on 18 September, “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,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
The law abolishes the Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission and replaces them with a new Media and Broadcasting Commission. The seven-member body will have three members, including the chairperson, appointed by the president, while the remaining four will be selected by media outlets. The commission has powers to revoke broadcast licences, block news websites, stop broadcasts mid-air, and impose fines of up to MVR 100,000 (about USD 6,400).
The law “will seriously undermine media freedom and the right to freedom of expression for the people of the Maldives if not withdrawn,” Türk said in a statement. He added that the law comes “following a worrying erosion of institutional checks and balances in the past year.”
The High Commissioner stressed that “an independent, free, plural and diverse media is a core component of the right to freedom of expression and a cornerstone of democratic society.”
Türk urged Maldivian authorities to repeal the legislation and offered UN support in reviewing any reforms to ensure they comply with the country’s international human rights obligations.