The Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA) on Wednesday (03) condemned a senior government official’s call to use emergency regulations to impose strict penalties on people accused of making defamatory statements about the president on social media.
The criticism followed remarks made by Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala on December 02 at a meeting at the Malabe Divisional Secretariat.
The event was attended by government officials and Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyarathne.
Watagala alleged that an organised campaign led by individuals abroad is spreading misinformation through physical channels, social media and artificial intelligence tools.
He instructed police officers to arrest those involved not merely as suspects but as confirmed offenders under emergency regulations issued in response to the ongoing disaster situation.
In a statement signed by SLWJA President Duminda Sampath and Secretary Ranga Bandaranayake, the SLWJA said it viewed Watagala’s directive with “deep disgust,” arguing that officials who once championed free speech are now seeking to curtail it.
“This reflects that the current government has entered a path against democracy,” the SLWJA said.
The journalists’ group said it has documented several threats to media freedom during the past year and warned that using emergency powers intended for disaster management to suppress speech violates core democratic principles.
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