President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified a significant amendment to the Copyright and Related Rights Act, extending protection terms from 50 to 70 years and introducing automatic copyright grants to creators without formal registration requirements. The comprehensive reform establishes new penalties for infringement, with fines ranging from MVR 10,000 to MVR 300,000, whilst introducing fair use exceptions for educational and research purposes. The amendment, which received strong parliamentary support with 57 votes in favour, will take effect three months after its publication in the Government Gazette, marking a substantial advancement in the Maldives' intellectual property framework.