COLOMBO – A collective of civil society activists have urged Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhana not to endorse the Online Safety Bill without ensuring Supreme Court directives have been fully adhered to.

In a letter handed over to the Speaker on Tuesday (30) more than 100 organizations, academics, civil activists, media personnel and trade unionists, have expressed their strong objection to the hasty passage of the bill on January 24 ignoring the directives of the Supreme Court, noting that that directives were issued after taking into consideration a record 45 fundamental rights petitions challenging the draft bill.

The letter in full:

29 -01-2024

Mr Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhana

Honourable Speaker,

The Parliament

Sri Jayawardenapura

Kotte

 

Honourable Speaker,

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.

The signatories representing the media, civil society, and trade unions:

Organizations

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 Centre

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 Centre

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 Centre (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 Centre Sri Lanka

Protect Union

Human Rights Documentation Centre (INFORM)

Citizens’ Collective

Vinividimu Organization

Search for Common Grounds

Institute for People Engagement and Networking (iPEN)

 

Individuals

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 Hana Ibrahim

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