The Himalayan Times
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The Sri Lankan government had blocked five news websites recently on the charge of character assassination and insulting people including key political leaders.
Issuing a joint press statement on Friday, they have urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately revoke the decisions and ensure the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.
“We believe the real motives behind the actions taken were to control the new media and hinder the free flow of information by refusing to ensure the democratic and pluralistic media environment,” reads the statement.
Condemning the government action, they have also said that the arbitrary blocking of websites, and therefore the free flow of information, deprives the fundamental human right of access to information and express dissenting opinions of the Sri Lankan people.
Terming the act as a move to suppress the media freedom in Sri Lanka, they have also expressed solidarity with the Sri Lanka’s rights activists, civil society organisations and citizens in the fight against those actions.
According to the Sri Lankan Telecommunication Regulatory Commission the five sites-- www.lankaenews.com, srilankamirror.com, srilankaguardian.com, paparacigossip9.com and www.lankawaynews.com – have been blocked as per the government order.
© The Himalayan Times
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