{"id":147847,"date":"2015-07-24T02:50:37","date_gmt":"2015-07-23T21:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=147847"},"modified":"2015-08-16T17:52:19","modified_gmt":"2015-08-16T12:22:19","slug":"keep-the-promise-protect-internet-freedom-in-sri-lanka-worldwide-free-expression-orgs-urge-mangala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/keep-the-promise-protect-internet-freedom-in-sri-lanka-worldwide-free-expression-orgs-urge-mangala\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep The Promise, Protect Internet Freedom In Sri Lanka: Worldwide Free Expression Orgs Urge Mangala"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eight international\u00a0<\/span>organisations fighting for freedom\u00a0of expression from Asia, the\u00a0Americas and Europe wrote to the\u00a0Minister of Foreign Affairs and Telecommunications, <\/span>Mangala Samaraweera<\/span><\/a> last night to\u00a0urge the minister to keep his promise and protect freedom of expression\u00a0on\u00a0<\/span>the internet\u00a0in Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mangala\"<\/a>

Mangala<\/p><\/div>\n

Back in February Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera rang the editor of\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0Colombo Telegraph<\/span><\/a> to apologise for the covert and illegal\u00a0\u2018throttling\u2019 of Colombo Telegraph website on the internet. Apparently, somebody in authority had decided to ignore the direct order\u00a0of President Maithripala Sirisena to cease the blocking of the website.\u00a0Minister Samaraweera promised to hold a full investigation into who was\u00a0responsible and to make a public statement; but to date there\u2019s been no\u00a0progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

We publish below the letter sent by\u00a0ARTICLE 19, Centre for Internet and Society (CIS),\u00a0Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF),\u00a0English PEN,\u00a0Index on Censorship, Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) and\u00a0Vivarta\u00a0in full;<\/p>\n

International appeal<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Telecommunications,<\/p>\n

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera<\/p>\n

Telecommunication & Information Technology Division,<\/p>\n

Ministry of Foreign Affairs<\/p>\n

79\/1 5th Lane,<\/p>\n

Colombo 00300<\/p>\n

\n
\n

July 23, 2015<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Sri Lanka<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear Sir<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n

President Maithripala Sirisena gave a specific order to lift direct online censorship of the news service as one of his first acts in power. But as you know, a recent technical investigation by the Colombo Telegraph and Danish experts discovered a month later that the blocking had merely continued in a more subtle, covert and illegal form.<\/p>\n

The source of the interference was traced to a server in the central office of Sri Lanka Telecom at the OTS Building in Lotus Road, Colombo. We thank you for promptly calling the editor of the Colombo Telegraph on February 7 to \u201cexpress regret\u201d at the incident and promise an immediate investigation with a public report to follow.<\/p>\n

We are disappointed that there has since been no apparent progress with the investigation. The possibility that individuals within the Sri Lankan telecommunications sector may be illegally interfering with public access to news websites without legal authority is one that concerns us all.<\/p>\n

Though we disapprove of the practice, we note that websites can be \u201cprohibited or be subject to supervision and control\u201d under S.69 of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act 1991 \u2013 but only under ministerial authority, and under a publicly announced order. No such order was made to replace the one lifted by President Sirisena.<\/p>\n

With elections due, the media must be free to cover the upcoming campaigns without fear of interference, covert or overt, online or off. A positive way of easing a specific threat is to complete your investigations and publish its conclusions this month, before the elections take place in August.<\/p>\n

With thanks for your time, interest and commitment to date, Signed by the following international organisations<\/p>\n

ARTICLE 19, London<\/p>\n

Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), Bangalore<\/p>\n

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), San Francisco<\/p>\n

English PEN, London<\/p>\n

Index on Censorship, London<\/p>\n

Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), London<\/p>\n

Vivarta, London<\/p>\n

World Association of Newspapers & News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), Frankfurt & Paris<\/p>\n

Reply c\/o: Vivarta, The Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA, UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This message by e-mail, paper copy by delivery to the Ministry direct & by mail<\/p>\n

Related stories;<\/strong><\/p>\n

Expos\u00e9: Srisena Brothers Continue Rajapaksa Policy Of Blocking Colombo Telegraph<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Video: How SLT Blocking Colombo Telegraph At The CTO Building<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mangala Expresses Regret Over Blocking Colombo Telegraph And Promises Full Report Soon<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read the history of blocking Colombo Telegraph<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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