A bill submitted to Parliament proposes that defamation on social media and other platforms become a civil matter, with courts able to award damages of between MVR 50,000 and MVR 500,000 if a claim is proven false.
The legislation targets both original posters and those who share defamatory content. It also covers spoken words, gestures and visual media such as films.
If a statement is shown to be false, the court must award damages within the stated range to the plaintiff. The bill includes exemptions for parliamentary proceedings and related reporting to protect legislative privilege.
Proponents say the measure seeks to balance freedom of expression with protection of reputation. Critics have raised concerns about the potential impact on public discourse and journalism.
The bill is among several pieces of legislation recently introduced concerning digital content and reputation. It has not yet completed its parliamentary stages.
