Protesting MDP MPs being kicked out of sitting to pass media bill

Opposition MDP lawmakers protesting at the extraordinary parliamentary sitting—convened outside the regular session to pass a controversial media bill that would grant the government considerable control over the press—are being named and removed from the parliament floor.

The Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee passed the bill on Monday and its report on the review of the media control bill on Tuesday, with recommendations made by Counselor General Aminath Filza.

Opposition MDP lawmakers began protesting as soon as the sitting to pass the media control bill commenced on Tuesday evening. In this regard, they were standing up near the speaker’s podium, holding posters and expressing sentiments against the media control bill.

MDP’s parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Nazil and South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem were named for protesting. Both of them refused to leave the floor and were subsequently forcibly removed from the floor by security.

Despite the protests, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim who is presiding over the sitting, proceeded with the sitting, granting the opportunity to Independent Institutions Committee’s president Hussain Riza Adam to present the Committee’s remark. Once Riza began to speak, the MDP lawmakers surrounded Riza and continued their protest. 

Following this, some ruling PNC lawmakers attempted to obstruct the protesting opposition lawmakers – leading to loss of order on the parliament floor.

Later, Keyodhoo MP Mohamed Niushad and South Hulhumale’ MP Ahmed Shamheedh were also named and forcibly removed from the floor for refusing to leave. 

Once they were removed and the debate on the bill commenced. However, opposition lawmakers again resumed their protest leading to North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo) being named and asked to leave the floor.

After Kudoo left, PNC’s deputy parliamentary group leader Mohamed Ismail proposed to pass the bill as approved by the Committee in its report. 

The next lawmaker to debate was Thulhadhoo MP Abdul Hannan who had submitted the controversial bill. As soon as he began his remarks, MDP lawmakers resumed protests to obstruct him from speaking.

As such, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir was named and removed from the floor.

Notably, the ruling-PNC dominated Parliament is proceeding with passing the bill after rejecting a petition submitted by Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) and endorsed by over 150 journalists, urging to reject the media control bill.

A crowd of protestors, most of them journalists, have been gathered outside the Parliament Building since the morning in protest of the expected passage of the bill, amid heavy police presence.

There have been several incidents of confrontations between the police and protestors during the ongoing demonstration, as riot police pushed back protestors and dragged others from the sit-in demonstration, resulting in injuries. There have also been two arrests.

The media control bill seeks to dissolve the Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the BroadCom, replacing them with a single regulatory body — a seven-member Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC), composed of four members elected by the media and three appointed by the President of the Maldives with parliamentary approval, with the President also given the authority to appoint the commission’s head. It also empowers the MMBC to impose major penalties against media outlets as well as individual journalists, including during the investigative stage.