The Federalist: Sri Lanka closes down Internet news sites

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Sri Lanka closes down Internet news sites

Phone and Internet News Censorship.
Sri Lanka has imposed censorship on mobile phone messages. The defense ministry’s Media Center for National Security in a directive to media organizations said they must get prior approval to publish news alerts “related to national security and security forces.”

Blogger / Internet News Shut Down - Yet another attack on Internet freedom of information

Police closed two websites for carrying "false and vulgar" news reports.
Previously the defense ministry ordered that all mobile phone operators should clear any "security-related news" with the government first.

The attacks on a free Internet go on and on - country by country. Sri Lankan police Friday shut down opposition news websites, accusing them of carrying "false and vulgar reports", months after imposing censorship on news alerts issued by mobile phone companies.

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Seven media organisations, including the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, condemned the closure of the Lanka Mirror and Lanka X News offices located within the same building in Colombo.

"A group of 25 officers from the police Criminal Investigation Department sealed the offices and nine employees were arrested," the media organisations said in a joint statement. "We condemn this deadly assault on media freedom."

Internet Censorship

The Sri Lankan defence ministry said the news organisations were shut down after officials obtained a court order to carry out searches and seize equipment.

Rights groups and employees said one website was the official news organ of the opposition United National Party (UNP), while the other website was also closely linked to the UNP.

"The CID sealed the offices of two websites carrying false and vulgar reports," the ministry said in a statement. "People responsible for feeding information to the Internet through this office are being investigated."

The sites have been highly critical of the government, which is already facing international censure over its human rights record and a string of unsolved murders of journalists and attacks on the independent media.

Pro-opposition websites have been blocked and media organisations opposing government views have been attacked, according to rights groups.

The latest police crackdown comes three months after the defence ministry ordered that all mobile phone operators should clear any security-related news reports before issuing them as SMS alerts.

Sri Lanka lifted a state of emergency last year, but media rights groups have said that journalists have been forced to self-censor their work amid fears of physical attacks.

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(Yahoo News) (Human Rights.Asia)

Internet Censorship - Coming soon to your computer.
Internet news outlets that dare to be against the government of Sri Lanka have been shut down.

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Thomas Pinckney, Federalist

Commissioned as captain in the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. After seeing much action, he became an aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates. He was captured by the British at the disastrous Battle of Camden in 1780. After recovering from his wounds, he was released in a prisoner exchange. In 1781 he fought under Lafayette in Virginia. Appointed by President George Washington to be the U.S. minister to Great Britain served as Envoy Extraordinary to Spain. The Federalist Party made him a candidate in the 1796 presidential election as the intended running-mate of John Adams. Served as Congressman and Governor of South Carolina. Served as a major general in the Army during the War of 1812.

Henry Lee III, Federalist

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WILLIAM PATERSON, Federalist

James Hillhouse, Federalist

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Alexander Contee Hanson, Federalist

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William Bingham, Federalist

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David Cobb, Federalist

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Josiah Parker, Federalist

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