Govt. drops ‘mutiny’ offence ‘against State or against public tranquillity’
The proposed amendments to the Online Safety Act (OSA), which have been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, are to be forwarded to the Legal Draftsman during the course of this week, The Daily Morning learns.
Cabinet approval has recently been granted to a set of amendments to the OSA, proposed by the Ministry of Public Security.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (18), the Secretary to the Public Security Ministry, Viyani Gunathilaka said that the Cabinet-approved amendments would be referred to the Legal Draftsman during the course of this week. “It is the Legal Draftsman who prepares the bill with proposed amendments. When it is done, it will again be referred to the Cabinet and the Parliament.”
Under the proposed amendments, it is proposed that a provision of the OSA which deems any person (Sri Lanka or abroad) who communicates “any false statement, with intent to cause any officer, sailor, soldier, or airman in the navy, army, or air force of Sri Lanka to mutiny, or with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public, induces any other person to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity.” to be guilty of an offence, be deleted.
The draft bill of the OSA, which seeks to regulate online content, was moved to debate on 23 January by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles amid much criticism from both domestic and international communities over its content. It was passed in the Parliament with amendments and a majority vote on 24 January, amidst objections from Opposition politicians and activists who alleged that the new law will pose a threat to the people’s rights. At the end of the two-day debate on the Bill, a total of 108 parliamentarians had voted in favour while 62 had voted against it.
Since its passage and endorsement by the Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, several parties including the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) have raised concerns over its content, and pointed out the need to rectify the related shortcomings. In the midst of such, the Cabinet of Ministers had granted approval to amend the OSA based on revisions which are said to have been identified through discussions with experts in the field.
Source: themorning
