President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has claimed that no journalist in the Maldives has read the Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act in its entirety, defending the controversial legislation he ratified on 18 September 2025.

Speaking at a community gathering in Felidhoo island of Vaavu atoll on Friday night, Muizzu offered a strong defense of the law, which has been widely criticized for curtailing press freedom. He emphasized his desire to maintain peace, unity, and a harmonious society, and said the law is intended to support, not suppress, those goals.

In his remarks, Muizzu claimed that he has not met a single journalist who has read the law completely, and that people are making comments without full knowledge. This, the president asserted, is “not responsible”.

He added that the law, written in Dhivehi, does not include any provisions that undermine media freedom.

However, the president asserted that freedom of expression does not mean spreading unverified or false information, and stressed that truthfulness is a principle of faith, citing the Quran’s instruction to verify news before sharing it.

Despite the president’s assurances, the bill faced significant backlash from media professionals and international observers. When the bill was first accepted by the People’s Majlis, journalists staged protests in front of the President’s Office, expressing concern that the law would severely restrict press freedom.

Muizzu later met with senior journalists on 28 August 2025, where he reportedly stated that media control was not his objective and that he would not support legislation that suppresses the free press. However, the People’s Majlis, where the People’s National Congress (PNC) holds a majority, passed the legislation with amendments, on 16 September 2025.

Despite ongoing appeals from international media watchdogs and journalism associations urging the government to reject the legislation, Muizzu proceeded to ratify the bill two days later. Critics argue the law has been passed in a form that significantly undermines the independence of the media in the Maldives.