Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday, 20 January 2024 01:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A group of civil society organisations and activists in an open letter to the Public Security Minister yesterday demanded that the Government withdraw the proposed Online Safety Bill which is scheduled to be presented to Parliament next week.
The group urged the Minister to not only withdraw the proposed Online Safety Bill but to also conduct meaningful consultations with all stakeholders including local groups.
“We are alarmed that the bill is proposed to be presented in Parliament at the end of January 2024 without addressing the concerns raised by key stakeholders, experts and civil society about the severe implications that the bill will have on the human rights and democratic values enshrined in the Constitution and international legal instruments to which people in Sri Lanka are entitled,” they said.
“Following the filing of over 50 petitions against the bill, which make it very clear that the bill requires significant amendments in order to be valid, the bill should be withdrawn, and discussions held in good faith, to tackle the issues of online gender-based violence and other harmful speech while respecting and affirming the rights of people in Sri Lanka and complying with the principles of necessity and proportionality,” the groups added.
They noted that among the concerns regarding the bill is the fact it will have a chilling effect on free speech and the attempt to establish an Online Safety Commission with no independence from the executive. Other concerns included the failure of the bill to incorporate the recommendations of experts and the detrimental impact it may have on Sri Lanka’s digital economy and avenues for employment online.
The open letter was signed by organisations working in the fields of human rights, digital security, media and others.
