In a joint letter addressed to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, media, civil society, and trade union collectives have called for a thorough examination before endorsing the recently passed Online Safety Bill.
The coalition, known as the 'Collective to Rise against Oppressive Laws,' emphasized the importance of verifying whether the Supreme Court's directives have been fully adhered to.
The letter expressed concerns about the potential threat to freedom of expression posed by the proposed legislation and urged Speaker Abeywardena to reject it outright.
The collective strongly objected to the 'hasty passage' of the Bill on January 24 in Parliament, highlighting the absence of discussions with stakeholders and the disregard for the directives issued by the Supreme Court.
