Ruling PNC’s Central Hithadhoo MP Ahmed Azaan Marzooq, while affirming that the media should operate within defined standards and policies, stated that he does not support the Media Bill in its current form.
The contentious Media Bill, which would grant the government significant control over the media, was submitted to the Parliament by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent lawmaker aligned with the government and a medium-scale businessman with no background in media. 
Azaan, who is opposed to passing the bill in its current form, has been working as a journalist prior to his election to the Parliament.
Azaan, who had written a number of articles raising major allegations against then-MDP administration during his time as a journalist, said the three branches of the state – the executive, legislative and judiciary – operated within defined standards under the constitution. He expressed his belief that the media should operate within defined standards and policies.
“Nevertheless, some of the contents of the bill are concerning for us,” he added.
In this regard, Azaan detailed that he was summoned to the police on four different occasions during the five years of the MDP administration when he had worked as a journalist. He suspected that these instances were connected to news articles and tweets he had written. Azaan further alleged that many of his friends were dismissed from their posts over tweets.
As such, Azaan said one must consider that they will not always be the ruling party when considering the passage of such a law.
“If an administration such as that of the individuals who were ruling back then were come to power again, these laws will be used against us then. Against journalists. Against individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression and freedom of ideology,” he said.
MP Ahmed Azaan, a former journalist, pictured during a press conference. (Sun Photo/Fayaz Moosa)
Azaan emphasized that he is against passing the bill in a manner which allows a news outlet to be shutdown once the commission initiated an investigation. He added that this completely unacceptable.
Speaking further, Azaan underscored that former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had banned the expression of certain ideologies through a presidential decree during his administration. Although the lawmaker did not go into the specifics, he is referring to the presidential decree banning the ‘India Out’ campaign run by then-opposition.
The incumbent administration, which was then in opposition, has not nullified this presidential decree.
Azaan said if the Media Bill is passed in its current form, there is the opportunity of banning certain ideologies if such administrations were to come to power again.
“Because of certain issues like this, I do not think it is right to pass the bill as it is,” he stressed.
Azaan, who first gained fame as a journalist, said the bill required extensive discussions among not only lawmakers, but also media personnel and experts in the field.
Hannan had previously introduced a similar bill aimed at media regulation, which was ultimately rejected. However, the ruling PNC, holding a supermajority in parliament, has now publicly backed the current iteration of the bill.
If enacted, Hannan's Media Bill imposes hefty fines on individual journalists, ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 25,000, while media outlets could face penalties of MVR 100,000. Furthermore, the proposed legislation would empower a commission to revoke media outlet registrations and suspend newspaper operations even before a full investigation of alleged infringements.
In response to these potential ramifications, both the Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) have urged the withdrawal of the bill.
However, the government has asserted that the bill would safeguard media freedom and empower journalists.