In a collective effort, numerous civil society organizations and prominent individuals in Sri Lanka have penned an open letter to the Speaker of the Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena concerning the recently passed Online safety Bill.
The letter urgently requests the Speaker to refrain from endorsing the Online Safety Bill until the directives of the Supreme Court have been thoroughly adhered to.
Full Letter
Request not to endorse the Online Safety Bill without verifying Supreme Court directives have been fully adhered to
We, as civil society activists, firmly believe the Online Safety Bill which completely endangers freedom of expression should be rejected outright. As citizens holding the sovereignty of the country, we, the undersigned, express our strong objection to the hasty passage of the bill on 24 January in the parliament, sans discussion with any stakeholder, and ignoring the directives of the Supreme Court.
MPs of the opposition parties have pointed out that the bill was debated and passed in the parliament without the proper inclusion of amendments and guidelines directed by the Supreme Court. Those amendments and guidelines were issued by the Supreme Court after taking into consideration a record of 45 fundamental rights petitions challenging the draft bill.
We believe, that if what the opposition MPs point out had occurred during the passage of the bill, it clearly violates the Constitution, undermines the sovereignty of the people and has possibly caused contempt of court as well.
In this letter, we once again confirm that even if the bill is passed as an Act by the Parliament, we will not stop our fight against regulations that are stifling the right to freedom of expression. This letter is also our commitment to continue our fight against regulations that are going to be implemented despite our objections that not only impede our right to free expression but also cause possible harm to the economy.
It is clear that the government is attempting to make the Online Safety Bill into law urgently to counter the opposition against the government ahead of the forthcoming elections.
As the Speaker of Parliament who ensures parliamentary orders are followed, we believe it’s your responsibility to guarantee that the Supreme Court-directed amendments are incorporated into the Online Safety Bill before endorsing it.
Therefore, we, as citizen activists and citizens who respect democracy, request you not to sign your consent to the bill until you are satisfied that the orders and guidelines sent to you by the Supreme Court are fully incorporated into the bill.
Free Media Movement
Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association
Young Journalists’ Association of Sri Lanka
Media Law Forum
Law and Society Trust
Right to life human rights Center
National Cooperative Development Fund
Hashtag Generation
Association of Health Professionals
Sri Lanka Postal and Telecommunication Service Union
All Ceylon Management Service Officers’ Union
Democratic Government Service Trade Union
South Asia Free Media Association
Ceylon Teachers’ Union
Ceylon Trade Union Federation
United Postal Trade Union Front
Savisthri National Women’s Moment
Uva Wellassa Women’s Organization
Movement for the Defence of Democratic Rights (MDDR)
Free Media Movement Tarde Union (FMMTU)
Ceylon Teachers’ Union
Moment for Land and Agriculture Reform (MONLAR)
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO)
Shramabhimani Center
Dabidu Collective
Women’s Action for Social Justice (WASJ)
United Federation of Labour (UFL)
Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU)
Muslim Media Forum
Jaffna Press Club
Tamil Women Journalists Association
Tamil Media Alliance
Transparency International Sri Lanka
Free Trade Zone Union
South Asian Women in Media Network- Sri Lanka
Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU)
South Asian Free Media Association
People’s Commission of Women in Sri Lanka
The Voice of Truth
Stand Up Movement in Sri Lanka
Trade Union to Upliftment of Sri Lanka Railway
Freedom Trade Union Center (FTUC)
Prabha Abhilasha Network
People’s Alliance for Right to Land (PARL)
Voice of the plantation people organization (VoPP)
Sri Lanka All Telecommunication Employees’ Union
Unite – Trade Union and Mass Organization Collective
Media.LK
RED Organization
Nature Foundation
Media Pro-Tech
PEN Sri Lanka
National Movement for Social Justice
Standup Workers Union
Asian Media and Cultural Association
Women Center Sri Lanka
Protect Union
Human Rights Documentation Center (INFORM)
Citizens’ Collective
Vinividimu Organization
Search for Common Grounds
Institute for People Engagement and Networking (iPEN)
Father Sarath Iddamalgoda
Rev. Asiri P Perera – Retired Bishop
Prof Arjuna Pararkarama
Prof Liyanage Amarakeerthi
Prof Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri
Prof Vijaya Jayathilaka
Dr Ravindra kariyawasam
Dr Rathna Sri Wijesinghe
Dr Kalpa Rajapaksa
Senior Lecturer Anuruddha Pradeep Karnasuriya
Thusitha Siriwardena, Attorney at Law
D M Dissanayake, Attorney at Law
Journalist Seetha Ranjanee
Journalist Upali Kolambage
Journalist Ananda Dharmapriya Jayasekara
Journalist Thimbiriyagama Bandara
Journalist Saroj Pathirana
Journalist T M G Chandrasekara
Senior researcher Sarath Kellapatha
Journalist Tharindu Iranga Jayawardena
Journalist Sujeewa Senarath
Littérateur S Nandalal
Social Activist Jayani Abeysekara
Journalist Jayasiri Jayasekara
Journalist Prasad Poornimal
Journalist Shalika Wimalasena
Civil and Human Rights Activist Cyril Pathirage
Creativist Nandasiri Dhrmaratne
Dramatist and Civil Activist Roy Rodrigo
Journalist Indika Roshan Garusinghe
Journalist Chamara Sampath
Civil and Human Rights Activist Suranga Rupasinghe
Journalist Priyan R Wijebandara
Environmentalist Hemantha Withanage
Environmentalist Sajeewa Chamikara
Trade Unionist Chinthaka Bandara
Dramatist Ranasinghe Adhikari
Lyricist Sudath Gamini Bandara
Social Activist Thamara Dayani Heetimullage
Shrinath Perera, Attorney at Law
Journalist Nayanajeewa Bandara
K.W. Janaranjana, Attorney at Law
Journalist K. Sanjeewa
Journalist Lasantha Ruhunage
Journalist Sunil Jayasekara
Journalists Sakeef
Marine Engineer Kamal Wanniarachchi
Social Activist Manjula Gajanayake
Journalist Manjula Wediwardhana
Social Activist Udaya Kalupathirana
Economist Umesh Moramudali
Social Activist Sandaya Eknaligoda
Journalist Poddala Jayantha
Journalist Thushara Weerarathna
Journalist Jini Jayasekara
Journalist R. Yasiharan
Social Activist Saman Senevirathna
Tharushi
Dishara Attorney at Law
Social Activist Sujith Abeyewckreme
Social Activist Chameera Dedduwage
Freelance journalist Ravi Rathnaveil