Maldives
As of 2026, the Maldives continues to face complex human rights challenges. While the government has made strides in child protection and legislative frameworks for labor, it faces significant international and domestic criticism regarding press freedom, the rights of migrant workers, and the judicial system.
The following are the key human rights issues currently associated with the Maldives:
1. Freedom of Expression and Media Repression
In late 2025, the human rights landscape was dominated by the passage of the Media and Broadcasting Commission Bill.
Government Control: The bill merged the Maldives Media Council and the Broadcasting Commission into a single entity largely controlled by government-appointed members.
Vague Restrictions: Critics and international bodies (including the UN and RSF) argue that the law uses vague terms like "diminishing a person’s dignity" or "threatening national interest" to silence dissent.
Journalist Safety: There have been reports of police using pepper spray and acoustic devices (LRAD) against journalists during protests, alongside credible death threats against reporters who criticize the administration.
2. Freedom of Assembly and Political Dissent
The Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act remains a significant barrier to civic engagement.
Restricted Protest Zones: Protests are largely restricted to specific "designated areas" in Malé. Efforts to protest outside these zones often result in arrests.
Police Response: During the "Lootuvaifi" (Stop the Loot) protests in late 2025—driven by economic concerns and the media bill—police were accused of using disproportionate force and making arbitrary arrests.
3. Migrant Worker Rights and "Localisation"
The Maldives relies heavily on expatriate labor, but new regulations (2025/R-120) have tightened control over this demographic.
Job Bans: New laws have begun phasing out foreign workers in dozens of categories (including imams, taxi drivers, and eventually nurses and teachers) to prioritize Maldivians.
Labor Exploitation: The Maldives remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for human trafficking. Migrant workers frequently face non-payment of wages, passport confiscation, and poor living conditions.+1
Limited Regularization: Recent 2025 amendments removed the guaranteed pathway for undocumented workers to regularize their status, increasing the risk of deportation.
4. Criminal Justice and the Death Penalty
Reinstatement of the Death Penalty: The current administration has signaled intent to end a decades-long moratorium on the death penalty. Human rights groups have expressed alarm, citing a judiciary that still struggles with politicization and a lack of independence.+1
Impunity for Past Crimes: There is a persistent lack of accountability for high-profile cases, such as the 2014 disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and the 2017 murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed. Findings from the Commission on Deaths and Disappearances have been delayed or withheld.
5. Women’s and Children's Rights
Gender Gap: Despite being elected to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (2026–2030), the Maldives faces high rates of domestic violence and low female participation in the national workforce.
Child Protection: On a positive note, the Child Rights Protection Act has banned the death penalty for children and prohibited child marriage. However, the government has recently moved to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 to address juvenile delinquency.
6. Climate Change as a Human Rights Threat
Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue but a "right to life" issue in the Maldives.
Water Insecurity: Saline intrusion is contaminating groundwater, forcing communities on outer islands to pay for expensive desalinated water.
Forced Displacement: With 80% of the islands sitting less than one meter above sea level, land reclamation projects intended to save the population often bypass environmental impact assessments, leading to further ecological damage and community displacement.