The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has sent the bill to the President's Office to amend the Evidence Act to make it compulsory for journalists to disclose the source of information.
AGO has drafted the bill amid concerns from journalists and the media that section 136(b) of the Evidence Act, as it stands, does not define terrorism offenses and national security threats, and that a court could compel journalists to disclose sources in such cases. The bill was submitted to the President's Office for submission to the Parliament with the necessary amendments.
Director of Communications at the AGO Hussain Hassan said the amendment would clarify the crimes of terrorism and cases that threaten national security. The amendment defines national security offenses as those involving acts that cause serious harm to the sovereignty or body or property of a person or group, and terrorism offenses as defined in Chapter II of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. In addition, the amendment provides for the court to take into account the disclosure of the source of information given to journalists and such a decision will be taken under an order of the High Court of the Maldives.