The South Asia Journalists Federation (SAJF) expresses its grave concern and unequivocal condemnation of the controversial media control bill revived before the Maldivian Parliament on August 18, 2025. The bill, seeking to dissolve the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom) and replace them with a new super-regulator with sweeping punitive powers, poses a direct assault on press freedom and independent journalism in the Maldives.
In a joint statement, SAJF President Geetartha Pathak said:
“This draconian bill is a blatant attempt to intimidate journalists and silence free expression. By creating a politically dominated commission with the power to suspend media registrations, block websites, and impose arbitrary fines, the government risks eroding democratic values and muzzling critical voices. Journalism is not a crime, and any law that seeks to criminalise independent reporting must be firmly opposed. The SAJF stands in full solidarity with our colleagues in the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in resisting this assault on press freedom.”
SAJF General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed added:
> “The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) and the country’s media community were not consulted in the drafting of this bill, which clearly exposes its true intention—to control, not to regulate. Provisions allowing the dismissal of commission members through a parliamentary no-confidence vote will strip the regulator of all independence and reduce it to a political tool. The SAJF joins hands with the MJA, our sister organisation and an IFJ affiliate, in demanding the immediate withdrawal of this dangerous bill.”
The SAJF strongly affirms that an attack on media freedom in the Maldives is an attack on journalism everywhere in South Asia. By expressing unwavering solidarity with the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), the Federation warns that such legislation not only undermines press freedom in the Maldives but also sets a dangerous precedent across the region, where journalists already face harassment, censorship, and violence.
The Federation urges the Maldivian Government and Parliament to respect international democratic norms, uphold its constitutional commitments to press freedom, and engage in meaningful dialogue with journalists, their unions, and media outlets.
The SAJF stands shoulder to shoulder with the MJA and Maldivian journalists in their struggle to protect independent journalism and safeguard the people’s right to know.
Issued by:
(Shakeel Ahmed)
Secretary General
South Asia Journalists Federation (SAJF)
Date: August 23, 2025
