12 July 2010

Alert

One year on, independent news website remains blocked


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(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to stop blocking the Lanka News Web site at once. Sri Lanka Telecom, the country's main Internet service provider, has been blocking the online newspaper's access since 11 July 2009.

In an interview for Reporters Without Borders, Lanka News Web editor Chandima Withanaarachchi talks about its editorial policies and the probable reasons for the government's persecution of the site. He also describes the press freedom situation and the difficulties for journalists in Sri Lanka. The government has been trying to assert control over online media since its military victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels and the ensuing presidential election, which was accompanied by propaganda and intimidation of the news media.

Three other independent news websites - Lanka-e-News, Infolanka and Sri Lanka Guardian - were also blocked on 26 January 2010, shortly before the election results were announced. Lanka News Web is the only one that is still inaccessible inside Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was on the list of "countries under surveillance" in the latest Reporters Without Borders report on "Enemies of the Internet."

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Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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More on this case

Government continues attacks against independent media, lawyers 16 July 2009

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Journalists face intimidation, censorship after election 29 January 2010

Sri Lanka

Web censorship targeting critical voices 10 November 2011 Death threats against newspaper editor 4 November 2011 Network chairman, general manager receive death threats 28 October 2011 Access to anti-government website blocked 20 October 2011 Newspaper chairman threatened by President Rajapaksa 3 August 2011 See all alerts: Sri Lanka


 
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