The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) joined 58 organizations on Friday in calling on Sri Lankan Minister for Public Security Tiran Alles to withdraw the proposed Online Safety Bill and conduct sustained multi-stakeholder consultations, including with civil society and human rights experts.
The latest version of the bill empowers a five-member commission appointed by the president to direct the blocking of social media accounts or an “online location which contains a prohibited statement,” which could include news websites. An amended version of the bill is to be tabled in parliament later this month.
Read the full letter: