BBC Tamil blocked as UN HRC voted in Geneva

The stated-run Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reportedly blocked BBC Tamil services on the island, in the run up to a United Nations Human Rights Council vote on Sri Lanka last week.

Writing in the Asian Correspondent, Sri Lanka Campaign Director Fred carver reported that BBC Tamil services were disrupted, with reports on the Human Right Council session replaced by unrelated material, or by pro-government pieces.

Bashana Abeywardane of Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) stated,

“The replacement of the BBC coverage constitutes a direct infringement of the right to information of the Tamil population”,

“In doing so, the authors of this censorship have once again demonstrated their unwillingness to change the repressive policies towards the Tamils. Their continuous disregard and flagrant attack on press freedom is callous and shocking.”

See the full report on Asian Correspondent here.

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