COLOMBO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government drew criticism from rights activists and the main opposition on Thursday as undermining press freedoms, an official said.
At a time when Sri Lanka's media freedom is among the lowest in the world, such moves by the government must not be allowed, insisted United National Party (UNP) MP Eran Wickramaratne.
"The government's attempt to introduce a code of ethics for journalists is completely deplored by us," he told media.
Wickramaratne added that the stipulations mentioned in the code are too vague mentioning "foreign policy or national security" and therefore almost any media could be penalized under it.
"Codes of ethics for media cannot be codified and they should be voluntarily and they should be self-regulating. The attempt to bring a code of ethics is actually to control the media. Democracy rests on two key stones, an independent judiciary and free media. Therefore we have to defend the media."
Shortly after his press conference the Government Information Department released a SMS quoting President Mahinda Rajapaksa as saying that the Code was not an attempt to suppress media and was only to "guide" self-regulation.
Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella also echoed this sentiment, telling Xinhua that the Code will not be empowered as a law by parliament.
However, Human Rights Watch in a statement on Tuesday said the proposed media code contains "overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech."
Shocking! Hairy stocking to beat sex harassment
Feedback
RSS
