Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha De Silva made comments while participating in the press conference held at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition today (14).Sri Lanka Latest News
Dr. Harsha de Silva said:
“Even though it was said that the matters agreed in the Supreme Court will be included in the Act on the security of online systems, it has not been done that way.
It has been pointed out by the Human Rights Commission. It is not possible to go to the Supreme Court after the speaker has signed the Act on the security of online systems, saying that the clauses in the Act are wrong. Also, the Minister of Justice admitted in the Parliament that several sections of the Act should be amended. It is heard that the Cabinet has brought amendments to the Act on the security of online systems. But we do not know what kind of amendments were brought. But the Online Security Act is going to crack down on social media.
The government is trying to bring the Broadcasting Authority Act. The Broadcasting Authority Act authorizes the Broadcasting Authority to renew the license of licensed media channels once a year. Websites are governed by the Online Security Act. The Broadcasting Authority Act empowers a group to decide on the license granted to media channels. They can decide whether to grant licenses to media channels or not. If false things are posted in the media channels, the annual license will not be entitled to that channel. At the time of trying to bring the Broadcasting Authority Act, Samagi Janabalawega brought the barrage of this Act to the people. After that, the government said that the bill would not bring the Broadcasting Authority Act. To stop social media, the government is trying to shut the mouths of electronic media by bringing the Act on the Security of Online Systems and the Broadcasting Authority Act. “