Sri Lanka has decided to amend a decades old media law, resulting in the regulation of all news websites and electronic media.
The government made the announcement a week after it raided and temporarily shut down two anti-government websites.
The amendments to the Press Council Law established in 1973, will mean that websites and electronic media will have to adhere to media codes that are set by the Sri Lankan government.
Commenting on the new reforms, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Reuters
‘We will bring amendments to the Press Council Law to include the electronic and web media to ensure accountability’
Sri Lankan media groups have slammed the government’s move to amend the press law.
In March, the government censored all mobile news alerts about the military or police.
Since the end of the war in 2009, the government has tightened restrictions on press freedom, drawing criticism from the United States and the European Union, among others for arresting journalists critical of the government.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
