MALÉ, Maldives — The Maldives marked Democracy Day with three incidents that underscored the mounting pressure on press freedom, even as journalists protested a contentious bill they say could throttle independent reporting. The first unfolded inside Parliament. The Independent Institutions Committee, dominated by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), forced through the so-called media control bill behind closed doors after opposition members and journalists walked out in protest. A petition submitted by the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) was sidelined. Ibrahim Shujau, a PNC lawmaker for Baarashu, claimed amendments addressed the concerns. Journalists countered that the changes only tightened restrictions. Committee … Continue reading Three Strikes Against the Press in the Maldives