UN expert sharply criticizes Maldives defamation law

BERLIN – A U.N. human rights expert has sharply criticized a law passed by the Maldives’ parliament that criminalizes defamation, calling it an attack on freedom of expression.

The law approved Tuesday allows for jail terms and steep fines for media outlets, journalists and social media users. It puts the burden of proof on defendants and permits revoking licenses of media companies convicted of defamation.

David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression, said in a statement Wednesday that “criminalizing speech on such vague and broad grounds as set out in the bill is a direct attack on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression in the Maldives.”

He said it “will have a strong chilling effect on media and civil society, making reporting and criticism truly risky.”