In a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 25 civil society organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders, called on the Sri Lankan government to protect press freedom and ensure accountability for crimes against journalists.
The letter stressed on the need to reopen investigations into violence against journalists, particularly during and after the civil war, and highlighted cases such as the 2005 murder of journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram and the 2010 disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda.
The organizations also urged the repeal of laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Online Safety Act, which they say have been used to suppress media freedom.
“Repeal the Online Safety Act, which grants sweeping powers to a commission appointed by the President to censor online content, thereby creating a chilling effect on human rights, including the right to freedom of expression. The law should be replaced with new cybersecurity legislation aimed at addressing genuine online harms, such as harassment and fraud, rather than enabling disproportionate and unjustified restrictions on peaceful online speech and jeopardizing the right to privacy,” the statement said.
President Dissanayake’s leadership was described as a historic opportunity to address Sri Lanka’s long-standing issues of impunity and media rights violations. The organizations pledged support for efforts to uphold press freedom and human rights. (Islandnews)
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