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- New Maldives Law on Parliamentary Privilege Could Impact Journalistic Freedom
New Maldives Law on Parliamentary Privilege Could Impact Journalistic Freedom
Media Release: The Maldives March 11, 2013
The International
Federation of Journalists joins its affiliate the Maldives Journalists
Association (MJA) and partner in the South Asia Media Solidarity Network
(SAMSN), in expressing concern on the recently passed Parliamentary Privileges
Act that could soon become law.
The Parliamentary
Privileges Act was initially passed by the Maldives parliament, the Majlis in
December 2012, but effectively vetoed when President Mohammad Waheed returned
it for reconsideration. In recently passing the act afresh by sufficient votes
to override the presidential veto, the Majlis has indicated that it intends it
to become law without further delay.
The MJA believes that
section 17(a) of the act which empowers Parliament or one of its committees to
summon anyone to “give witness or to hand over any information” of interest, is
too broad in its provisions and could undermine the constitutional protection
that journalists currently enjoy.
Under article 28 of
the Maldives constitution every citizen enjoys the right to freedom of speech
and expression and nobody “shall be compelled to disclose the source of any
information that is espoused, disseminated or published by that person.”
The IFJ believes that
this is a salutary provision of law which makes the Maldives one of the few
countries to provide constitutional protection to sources of journalists’
information.
The IFJ joins the MJA
in asking for a reconsideration of provisions in the Parliamentary Privileges
Act which may undermine this valuable protection afforded to journalists and
all citizens.
Forfurther information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919The IFJrepresents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries Findthe IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific Findthe IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific