The Parliament suspended its session for today after it suspended its work on the newly submitted media bill amid protests from journalists in the country.
MP for Thulhaadhoo Constituency, Abdul Hannan Abubakur, submitted the bill, which proposes to combine the Media Council and the Broadcasting Commission to form a new entity that would regulate media practices in the country.
After he submitted the bill, journalists entered the press area in the Parliament chambers and protested against the bill which they say will take away press freedom from media outlets. The journalists were covering their mouths in protest.
Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdullah suspended the debate on the bill abruptly, saying that many MPs wanted to further research and deliberate on the bill before debating it.
He then went on to end today's session after announcing that.
MP Abubakuru, who had previously submitted a bill that aims to control the media, stated in the bill that media outlets would be fined MVR 100,000, and individual journalists may be fined up to MVR 25,000 if they disobey the bill.
In addition to withholding and revoking licenses and registrations, it also combined the two institutions into one single body called the 'Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission', which would be governed under its law.
Article 73 of the bill provides that the Commission has the power to investigate a case under another law and take action under that law.
