Keep The Promise, Protect Internet Freedom In Sri Lanka: Worldwide Free Expression Orgs Urge Mangala

July 24, 2015

Eight international organisations fighting for freedom of expression from Asia, the Americas and Europe wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Telecommunications, Mangala Samaraweera last night to urge the minister to keep his promise and protect freedom of expression on the internet in Sri Lanka.

Mangala

Back in February Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera rang the editor of  Colombo Telegraph to apologise for the covert and illegal ‘throttling’ of Colombo Telegraph website on the internet. Apparently, somebody in authority had decided to ignore the direct order of President Maithripala Sirisena to cease the blocking of the website. Minister Samaraweera promised to hold a full investigation into who was responsible and to make a public statement; but to date there’s been no progress.

We publish below the letter sent by ARTICLE 19, Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), English PEN, Index on Censorship, Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) and Vivarta in full;

International appeal

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Telecommunications,

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera

Telecommunication & Information Technology Division,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

79/1 5th Lane,

Colombo 00300

July 23, 2015

Sri Lanka

Dear Sir

As supporters and defenders of freedom of expression rights, we request you, as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Telecommunications, to fulfil your promise to investigate the recent illegal blocking of online access to the Colombo Telegraph.                               Read More