Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Free media seeks SC order to lift ban on websites

Sarath Dharmasena
 The Free Media Movement yesterday filed a fundamental rights violation petition in the Supreme Court seeking the lifting of the ban on five websites in Sri Lanka.  The websites named were Sri Lanka Mirror, Lanka Guardian, Lanka E-News, Lanka News Web and Papparazi news.com
It was cited in the petition that the Director of Information Dr Ariyaratne Ethugala had said that the reason to ban the websites was due to them carrying news defaming to Ministers and VIPs, but it argued that hitherto no complaints had been received to that effect from anyone.

Director of Government Information Dr Ariyaratne Ehtugala, Information Ministry Secretary W. P. Ganegala and Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Chairman Anusha Pelpita were named as respondents.

The petition was filed by Udaya Kalupahana and Sunil Jayasekera.

IS