Sri Lanka blocks five news websites

Colombo: Sri Lanka has blocked five news websites because they committed character assassination and insulted people including key political leaders, officials said on Monday.

Media groups criticised the moves as undemocratic, and the US embassy recently raised concerns about press freedom in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan laws do not restrict the press from criticising leaders, but media can be charged for defamation.

The five sites blocked since Saturday were publishing reports that amount to "character assassination and violating individual privacy", Information and Media Ministry Secretary W.B. Ganegala said on Monday.

Many complaints were made against the sites, and the ministry collected their published reports for some time and decided to block them, he said.

The government did not describe what content it opposed, but the five sites have published material critical of the government and have raised allegations of corruption and malfeasance against politicians. No information was given on how the sites can challenge the action or if or when they will be unblocked.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission blocked www.lankaenews.com, srilankamirror.com, srilankaguardian.com, paparacigossip9.com and www.lankawaynews.com, commission Director-General Anusha Palpita said.

Media ethics

A government release separately asked websites to register with the media ministry and appealed to them to adhere to media ethics and to Sri Lankan law.

The requirement is new for websites, while older media formats such as newspapers, radio and television already have to register before they start publishing. It also said some sites had published reports damaging the character of President Mahinda Rajapakse, ministers and senior government officials.

Kelum Shivantha, the editor of srilankanmirror.com, said blocking the site was unfair as it always gave fair coverage. "We published our reports independently and accurately. We always presented both sides of the story," Shivantha said.