Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) said they were “alarmed” at a move by Sri Lankan President Maithripala to revive the government’s much criticised Press Council.

Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk, said,

“By reviving this mechanism for harassing the Sri Lankan media, President Sirisena is dashing the hopes raised by his election and is again placing the media under a permanent threat of authoritarian abuses”.

“We urge the president to rescind this decision and instead to begin a complete overhaul of the Press Council with the aim of turning it into an entity that guarantees media independence,” he added.

JDS also said, “the government’s move to re-enact the controversial legislation reinforces serious and legitimate fears, as the desire to curtail media freedom always reflects anti-democratic intentions”.

Also see our earlier posts:

CPJ expresses concern over reinstatement of Sri Lanka's regulatory Press Council (08 Jul 2015)

Sirisena's reinstatement of Sri Lanka's regulatory Press Council condemned (06 Jul 2015)

Journalists removed from Jaffna public consultation on resettlement  (29 Jun 2015)

US State Dept official to study media in Sri Lanka  (11 Jun 2015)

'Where else should I die but here?'  (29 Apr 2015)

Uthayan journalists do not feel free - Editor  (10 Apr 2015)
Remembering Nadesan 10 years on (31 May 2014)

Journalist attack could not have occurred without state's knowledge - TNPF  (16 Apr 2014)

Sri Lanka ranks 4th in global impunity index for killings of journalists  (16 Apr 2014)