In response to the Maldives parliament opening a debate regarding an amendment to the country’s General Elections Act, FORUM-ASIA says:

FORUM-ASIA is alarmed by the proposed amendment to Maldives’ General Elections Act which would restrict journalists from freely monitoring elections. Only journalists from media organizations registered with and approved by the government would be permitted to work in voting and vote-counting sites on election days. ‘Unregistered’ journalists—including freelancers and foreign correspondents—would be unable to do so. This severely limits the coverage of Maldives’ upcoming presidential elections.

The proposed amendment not only undermines media freedom but also people’s right to access information. FORUM-ASIA reminds the Government of the Maldives of its responsibility to ensure a free and fair election. To do this, it must respect and protect the important work that journalists do.