The interim Committee drawn up to review the Defamation Bill has passed it. Seven members of the 11-member Committee had voted in favor of the bill proposed by PPM Ungoofaaru Constituency MP Jaufar Dauood, with the two MDP MPs voting against passing the bill.
The Committee had not taken into account or made any changes to the bill, taking into consideration the concerns of the journalists.
Two amendments and one additional clause was added to the bill. The Committee had added a clause stating that if the producers or creators of motion pictures, stories, dramas, songs, films and other such materials were able to prove it was purely incidental, then they will be exempt from the penalties in the bill.
The penalties for defamation on individuals set had been reduced. The penalty figures had been amended to between MVR 25,000 and MVR 2 million instead of MVR 50,000 to MVR 2 million.
Once the bill is passed defamation will become criminalized, instead of a civil offence. The bill has been set on the Parliament agenda tomorrow.
Committee passes Defamation bill
