Freedom of expression

OLINDHI JAYASUNDERE The Sri Lanka Mirror news website said yesterday that it was on the verge of shutting down as it was incurring losses after the government arbitrarily blocked the website along with four others and said it had filed a fundamental rights case regarding the matter.The website’s Editor Kelum Shivantha said that the website […]

The News Editor of the Uthayan newspaper published in Jaffna, Gunasundaram Kuganadan has traveled overseas for protection, it is learnt. Fifty seven year old Kuganadan was subjected to an inhumane assault on July 29th when he was on his way home after work. He was treated in hospital following the severe injuries sustained during the […]

”This is a concern for us, but our greater worry is the failure of the GoSL to bring to account those responsible for the murder of a number of journalists, as also brutal attacks with murderous intent that have left a number of journalists seriously disabled.” H.E. Ambassador Ms. Tamara Kunanayakam,Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri […]

New freedoms promised by the end of 25-year civil war are still being denied journalists in Sri Lanka, where many who have taken an unbiased stance have paid with their lives.It is not simply dedication to his job that has led newspaper editor MV Kaanamyl-nathan to not leave his office for five-and-a-half years.In the spring […]

 [TamilNet] “The ban on TamilNet is the first instance of what the Free Media Movement believes may soon be a slippery slope of web and internet censorship in Sri Lanka,” BBC reported on 20th June 2007 when local reports indicated that access to TamilNet was blocked by unannounced directives to service providers from officials in […]

a. Arbitrary blocking or filtering of contentDuring the latter part of the war, websites that purported to provide alternative coverage on the war were blocked. From June 2007, allegedly on the orders of the Sri Lankan government, all Internet service providers in Sri Lanka blocked users from being able to access the website Tamilnet.com.24 The […]

Katunayake (Srilankamirror) – Minister Mervyn Silva has warned journalists, whom he claimed were insulting the president and other important persons, to book coffins for themselves immediately.  He said at a function in Katunayake yesterday (Nov. 20) that he was finding the addresses of such journalists.The minister said there are lowly so-called journalists who insult important […]

Raisa Wickrematunge- Senior Tamil journalist J. S Tissainayagam denied allegations that he “admitted his complicity” to an offence in order to gain a Presidential pardon. The allegation was made on November 9, when a delegation led by Presidential Counsel and Senior Legal Adviser to the Cabinet Mohan Pieris answered questions raised by the Committee Against […]

Sri Lanka Mirror emphasizes that Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s statement that the government banned several websites which do not comply with ‘the right to reply’ concept is not relevant to the blocking of our website.Speaking at the Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday (17), Minister Rambukwella said that all websites […]

Sri Lankan government has confirmed that it has taken down several websites without a court order. Speaking to journalists in Colombo on Tuesday, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that government took the decision to ban websites without legal recourse. According to the minister, the government is unable to find who is behind the several websites […]

Frederica Janz  ■Sri Lankans across the board, renowned for their friendly smiles and easy ways are too afraid to speakA Norwegian journalist Correspondent for Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation sat across from me in my office last Tuesday. Norwegian Broadcasting is state owned and the largest media organization in Norway, BUT with absolutely no interference in editorial […]

By Bob Dietz/CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Sri Lanka’s former attorney general Mohan Peiris, who is now the senior legal adviser to the cabinet and who many Sri Lankans say is aiming to become the next Supreme Court Chief Justice, has made conflicting statements about missing journalist Prageeth Eknelygoda. The discrepancies do more than point up […]

(Srilankamirror) – Deputy Leader of the UNP Karu Jayasuriya says the ploy behind the Media Ministry move to register websites – to censor news not favourable to the government – is too transparent.  This is why both the United States and the European Union too have voiced serious concern, Mr. Jayasuriya says in a statement.“Several […]

The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the Sri Lankan government’s announcement of an upcoming set of guidelines and code of conduct for journalists and media organizations, and believes these regulations will only increase the government’s control of the media.The announcement, which appeared Thursday in the government-owned Daily News, said the government would “soon introduce […]

(AFP) Sri Lanka on Saturday warned websites to register with the authorities after the United States expressed deep concern over Colombo’s blocking of a popular Internet-based dissident publication. The Ministry of Mass Media and Information said many reports posted on dissident websites amounted to character assassination of President Mahinda Rajapakse, his ministers and top officials.“This […]

(Srilankamirror) – Registration is required of new websites with content about Sri Lanka before their launch, said the Ministry of Media and Information.  The Ministry’s additional secretary (development and planning) K.W.T.N. Amaratunga says a request for registration should accompany a letter requesting same. She said so to representatives of several websites to be launched today (Nov. […]

9th November 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka: We the undersigned civil society organisations and individuals express grave concern over the press release issued by the Director General of the Department of Government Information on 5th November 2011, which requires all ‘websites carrying any content relating to Sri Lanka or the people of Sri Lanka… uploaded from […]

Press release/ 09 Nov 2011Last Friday (04th November 2011) the Government of Sri Lanka took the unprecedented step of demanding that all internet based web sites which cover Sri Lanka news and views should register with the information ministry. Sending a strong message of intended action against websites which do not register in accordance with […]

”Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) states that the present regime fears criticism, dissent and any democratic challenge on their undemocratic and corrupt actions. In the recent past, Sri Lanka has had a questionable track record of limiting freedom of expression with dozens of journalists being killed and few media institutions being attacked. In none of these […]

(Lanka-e-News) The owners of websites and Editors are gearing to file legal suits against the imposing of illegal bans on websites . It is also reported that media Organizations are also getting ready to file another case against the ban . The ban is clearly illegal as it is an absolute denial of media rights […]

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the new registration rules introduced by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for websites hosting any manner of content on the country, which has led to the blocking of several websites for internet users in Sri Lanka. These include Lanka News Web, Sri Lanka Mirror, Sri Lanka Guardian […]

PRESS RELEASE/STATEMENT BY EU HEADS OF MISSION IN COLOMBOEU Heads of Mission in Colombo view with concern the recent blocking of various news websites in Sri Lanka. The EU considers that freedom of press forms an integral part of any democratic system. The EU therefore believes that the media should be allowed to operate independently. […]

BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI(AP)Sri Lanka has blocked five news websites because they committed character assassination and insulted people including key political leaders, officials said Monday. Media groups criticized the moves as undemocratic, and the U.S. Embassy recently raised concerns about press freedom in Sri Lanka.Sri Lankan laws do not restrict the press from criticizing leaders, but media […]

A survey revealed that certain websites violate the country’s laws, says media ministry Media watchdogs in Sri Lanka have raised serious concerns over the latest move by the government to block certain websites seem to be critical of the government.The Free Media Movement (FMM) said the government is now targeting the new media despite facing […]

 Leon Berenger More news websites were blocked yesterday as the Government said those carrying news relating to Sri Lanka should register with it – prompting strong protests by the main opposition United National Party. Following the ban on lankaenews website, the government yesterday blocked SriLankaguardian.com, paparaci.com, gossip9.com, srilankamirror.com and lankawaynews.com., which is the official website […]

REUTERSSri Lanka ordered news websites on Saturday to register with the Media Ministry, in what critics called a further step toward restricting media after the banning of an anti-government site last month.“It’s a request from the Media Ministry to register (news) websites with the ministry,” said Director General of the government’s Information Department Ariyarathna Athugala.He […]

(AFP)  Sri Lanka on Saturday warned websites to register with the authorities after the United States expressed deep concern over Colombo’s blocking of a popular Internet-based dissident publication.  The Ministry of Mass Media and Information said many reports posted on dissident websites amounted to character assassination of President Mahinda Rajapakse, his ministers and top officials. […]

Srilankamirror- www.srilankamirror.com website has been blocked by the internet service provider Sri Lanka Telecom. As a result, updating the website has become difficult.  Our attempts to contact Telecommunications Regulatory Commission director general Anusha Pelpita for a comment were unsuccessful.  We apologize to our readers over this unfortunate situation which has come at a time when we […]

 S.S.SELVANAYAGAM When the rights petitions of the aggrieved workers of the Katunayake Free Trade Zone complaining of police assault came up before the Supreme Court, the Solicitor General told Court that the investigation is pending and assured that the investigation would be completed within a month. Solicitor General Palitha Fernando informed Court the Confidential Interim […]

Reporters Without Borders has written an open letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging him to take whatever measures are necessary to protect Frederica Jansz, the editor of The Sunday Leader, and to ensure that those responsible for last week’s death threats against her are arrested.The threatening letter Jansz received on 27 October was prompted by […]