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Maldives rejects joint statement on defamation bill by Western community

Xinhua, August 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Maldivian government on Monday rejected a joint statement issued by the Western community for raising concerns regarding the anti-defamation and freedom of expression bill currently in the Parliament.

The anti-defamation and freedom of expression bill, which is scheduled for the People's parliament sitting during this week, has had widespread criticism from domestic reporters and Western community. The bill aims to re-criminalizes defamation and prescribes up to MVR 2 million in fines for defamation, and prison sentences up to 6 months if the accused is unable to pay the fine.

Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and Britain along with the EU Mission in Maldives and the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka issued a joint statement last week raising concerns about the defamation bill and called the Maldivian government to protect the freedom of speech in the country.

A statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that defamation is a criminal offence in four of the five countries.

The statement said that the draft bill does not seek to criminalize free speech but provide a "layer of protection" to those who may fall victim defamatory and scurrilous articles and ensure that such comments do not impact issues of religious sentiments and national security.

The Foreign Ministry said that a maximum prison sentence of six months may be imposed upon a conviction and the penalty is significantly lower than many advanced democracies.

The ministry's statement said that the joint statement by the western community seeks to advance a notion of freedom of expression that is, in fact, restricted in four out of the five countries which are signatories to the statement. Similarly, 23 out of the 28 member states of the EU also have criminalized defamation.

"Maldives appreciates the interests that its friends and partners take in the Maldives, and wishes to request on all who wish to issue commentaries on what takes place in the Maldives to return to facts and exercise objectivity.

The government is concerned that if such commentaries do not reflect all the facts surrounding the issue, it can be a source of misinformation, the Foreign Ministry said.

It added that the country welcomes the opportunity to engage with international partners but expects them to be "constructive and responsible in their actions." Endit