INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has written to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena urging the postponement of the upcoming parliamentary
debate on the Online Safety Bill.The Second Reading of the Online Safety Bill is scheduled for January 23 and 24, as per a decision taken by
the Committee on Parliamentary Business earlier this month.In his letter, Premadasa pointed out that, if passed, the Bill would permit the
freedom of speech and expression.In other countries of the world, adequate time and an opportunity to create wide public space are given
before bringing forth such Bills, the opposition leader said, alleging that the government has not followed such process when presenting the
Online Safety Bill.Instead of protecting the victims of online harassment, this Bill will only serve political interests, Premadasa said
further.The Online Safety Bill was published in the government gazette on September 18, 2023, aiming to ban online communication of certain
suppress the financing and other support of communication of false statements and other related matters.However, the Bill has come under
fire for some of its problematic aspects, with the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) which consists of multiple tech giants including Apple,
Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Yahoo, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) voicing concerns.A total of 45 petitions had been put forward
parties, alleging that the relevant bill is in violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the
Constitution.Later, the Supreme Court, after concluding the deliberation of petitions, communicated its determination on the
constitutionality of the Bill and its provisions to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Speaker Abeywardena, emphasizing that pursuant to
Article 84(2) of the Constitution, Clauses 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,
36, 37, 42, 45, 53, and 56 should be passed by a special majority in the parliament
However, if these clauses are amended during the Committee Stage, the Online Safety Bill can be passed by a simple majority in the
