Journalists protest outside Presidential Palace

Journalists are now protesting outside the Presidential Palace 'Mulee-Aage' after parliament voted to accept the media control bill. 

Journalists previously today protested outside the President's Office and the Parliament. 

Journalists gathered outside the Presidential Palace are calling for the bill to be rejected and for President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to meet with media. 

President Muizzu has returned to capital Male' today after concluding his visit to HDh. atoll. 

While protesting outside the President's Office this afternoon, they met with police obstruction. Police forcefully moved some journalists away from the area and placed others in police vehicles, releasing them after a short while. 

Police then placed barricades near the President's Office and moved journalists back. 

Initially, journalists protested outside the parliament this morning. Once the parliament sitting commenced, journalists expressed discontent with the bill in the parliament's viewing gallery as well. 

While the protest was ongoing, parliament voted today to accept the bill. 

The bill passed with votes in favour from 49 MPs of ruling People's National Congress (PNC). Only 12 MPs voted against.

The bill, purportedly for media regulation but raising widespread concerns that it moves to limit press freedom and places control of media in the hands of the government, was submitted to parliament by independent MP Abdul Hannan AbuBakuru (Thulhaadhoo).

Parliament has now accepted the bill and forwarded it to the Committee on Independent Institutions for review. 

Maldives Media Council, Maldives Journalists Association as well as several other local and international organizations have released statements condemning the bill and calling for it to be withdrawn. 

Journalists are also signing a petition opposing the bill. The petition raises concerns that the bill narrows down press freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution.