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Tuesday, 26 September 2023 00:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Freedom People’s Congress member Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday claimed that the recently gazetted Online Safety Bill is the most dangerous piece of legislation proposed in recent times.
Peiris was addressing a press conference at the party’s head office in Nawala.
“Above all else, the Government fears the people today,” he said. According to Peiris, this is evidenced by the fact that the Government took steps to continuously delay polls. “They knew they would face a humiliating defeat,” the MP opined.
The MP stated that despite this, the Government will not be able to postpone the scheduled Presidential election next year and is consequently rushing to enact new laws to suppress the populace.
“These laws are being introduced to stifle dissenting opinions in the run-up to the Presidential election, especially those unfavourable to the Government. All these laws are to be a mechanism to silence the people,” he remarked
The MP accused the Government of aiming to diminish the fundamental rights of freedom of speech, association, and dissent, thereby undermining the country’s democratic culture that has been safeguarded until now.
He said the commission proposed to be set up under the Online Safety Bill once enacted is the most destructive and dangerous in Sri Lanka’s history.
“The Government is attempting to use this all-powerful Commission to erode the fundamental rights of the Sri Lankan people. While all other members to the Commission are appointed by the Constitutional Council, the members for this Commission will be appointed by the President alone based on his whims and fancies,” he noted. Peiris noted that there are past cases in which the Supreme Court ruled that only a truly independent commission can be granted such authority and that these powers cannot be delegated to a Government branch or agency under the law.
“This Commission is merely an instrument of the Government, with unprecedented powers that surpass those granted to any previous commission. It will hold exclusive authority to determine the veracity of information,” he emphasised. Peiris said the provisions in the law will directly affect the human rights of the people.
