Shahid’s warning: No govt. that tried to meddle with media ended well

Main opposition MDP’s leader Abdull Shahid has warned that a look into the history clearly shows no government that tried to meddle with the media has ever ended well following the passage of the controversial media bill by a Parliament dominated by ruling PNC.

MDP has been protesting along journalists against media bill which would allow the government significant control over the media since its submission to the Parliament.

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Meekail, a lawmaker from MDP and the sole opposition member in the Independent Institutions Committee, which reviewed the bill, had proposed amendments to the bill, which were rejected and protested against the bill in its original form.

The bill, along with the amendments made during the committee stage and the four amendments proposed by Fonadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh, a lawmaker from PNC, passed with a majority vote of 60-1. The sole dissenting vote came from Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas, a member of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

Shahid, via a post on X after the bill was passed, said the government, forcefully pushing through the media “control” bill, have declared war on free speech.

“A government that silences journalists is a government that has lost the courage to face the truth. Instead of fixing the crises our nation faces, they are trying to censor the voices that hold them accountable,” he added.

Today, the Government of #Maldives has chosen fear over freedom. By forcefully pushing through the Media #CTRLBill in @mvpeoplesmajlis, they have declared war on free speech.

A government that silences journalists is a government that has lost the courage to face the truth.…

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) September 16, 2025

Shahid reiterated that MDP stands with independent media and with every Maldivian who believes in democracy, adding history clearly shows no government that tried to meddle with the media has ended well.

Meanwhile, MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz Ismail described the media “control” bill passed by the incumbent administration as an insult to the memory of the thousands of activists who bled to secure freedom of expression and media for Maldivians.

He appealed to all Maldivian citizens to join the party to protest the “draconian control bill” and fight for the future of the country.

The Media Control bill passed by the Muizzu administration is an insult to the memory of the thousands of activists who bled to secure freedom of expression and media for Maldivians. I ask all Maldivians to join us to protest this draconian control bill, and to fight for the…

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) September 16, 2025

While journalists protest against the bill as a direct threat to press freedom and a crackdown on dissent, the PNC administration touts the legislature as one that protests people from defamation.

Key amendments to the bill:

• Removal of the provision that empowered the commission to shut down media stations during ongoing investigations
• Amending the provision that allowed for the commission’s president to be directly election by the Maldivian President, to have the commission’s president elected through a vote among commission members
• Detailed explanation of electronic media that leaves out social media from commission scrutiny
• Detailed explanation of the provision that requires news outlets and magazines to inform the commission prior to publication
• Stipulating that the commission cannot take any action that violates the freedom of expression and freedom of the press enshrined in the Constitution
• Stipulating that the commission must allow media outlets and individual journalists the chance to provide a written response to allegations before they are sanctioned
• Facilitating the chance for affected parties to revise or demand answers in response to false information published in news articles

Journalists continue to express concern over the sweeping legislature, urging President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu against ratifying the bill.