A ruling party lawmaker on Wednesday proposed an amendment to the penal code to hold journalists covering news of the courts in contempt.
On behalf of the government, Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi has proposed some major amendments to the contempt of court section in the penal code which includes allowing judges to hold journalists covering news of the courts in contempt over published articles.
The amendment looks to criminalize any published material deliberately designed to question a free and fair trial or undermine the integrity of the court or the judge.
In addition, any unlawful material published which is intended to influence an ongoing trial in a court of law would also be a crime. But the amendment does not specify whether journalists would be exempt from the clause while the 'unlawful' term has not been detailed.
Another vaguely phrased clause has also criminalized any published material designed to undermine the faith and trust the public has in the courts and the justice system.
The amendment has also criminalized unauthorized recording and publishing of any audio or video material inside a court of law.
The new amendment is the latest in a series of moves taken against the media by the incumbent government.
