President calls for report into compulsory website registration! 

- Mar 04, 2016

Web journalists as well as free media activists are concerned by a media statement that announces the Media and Information Ministry’s compulsory registration of websites operating from Sri Lanka before the 31st of this month. They describe this regulatory move as the beginning of the Yahapaalana government’s taking to the same path that of the Rajapaksa regime. Web journalists and free media activists point out that what the Media Ministry wants through this compulsory registration is to control websites the way the government wants.

After the social media unit of the president’s media unit brought this matter to the attention of the president, he has instructed the Ministry to submit a report to him immediately. He has asked the Ministry secretary as to why such regulatory measures were being taken despite his previous instructions not to ban, under any circumstances, even the websites that cross the limit of ethics to attack him and the Yahapaalana government.

Making a special statement to the Ceylon Daily News, acting Media and Information Minister Karunarartne Paranawithana said the government's move to continue with the registration of news casting websites is not intended to control them, but to give web journalists a recognition to be on par with mainstream journalists. He said web journalists once registered with the ministry would be provided with a media identity card allowing them access to press conferences and various other media events.

Given below is the facebook posting by acting minister Paranawithana in this regard: