Government has decided to propose an amendment to the Evidence Act following concerns from journalists about the exceptions to the rule whereby journalists cannot be compelled to disclose their sources.

Attorney General (AG)'s Office released a statement on Sunday stating that the state will be proposing an amendment to the Evidence Act to include more specificity regarding the offences related to national security and offences related to terrorism.

"The amendments proposed include, specifying more clearly the offences related to national security and offences related to terrorism which are the exceptions as per Section 136(b) of the Act, with offences related to national security described as offences involving any threat to the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives, or any threat of major damage to a person or persons’ lives, limbs or property, and with offences related to terrorism described as those offences stated under Chapter 2 of Law Number 32/2015 (Prevention of Terrorism Act); determining factors that the Court shall take into consideration in obligating the disclosure of a journalist’s source of information; and determining that such matter shall be decided by an order of the High Court of Maldives," AG Office statement read.

AG Office said that a Bill proposing the new amendments has been formulated for submission to Parliament after discussions with Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) and Maldives Editors Guild (MEG).

The Evidence Act was ratified on 18 July 2022 after the Bill was passed on 30 June 2022 by the Parliament.