INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
objectios from opposition politicians and activists who allege the new law will muzzle free speech.Accordingly, the Speaker of Parliament
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed the House that the Online Safety Bill was passed in the Committee Stage with amendments.The Online Safety
Bill proposes jail terms for content that a five-member commission considers illegal and makes social media platforms such as Google,
Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, liable for those posted on their platforms.The government says the Bill is aimed at battling
cybercrimes including child abuse, data theft and online fraud.The Second Reading of the Online Safety Bill was also passed in Parliament
24) with a majority of 46 votes
which a heated situation ensued as opposition MPs objected to certain amendments brought by the ruling party, accusing them of being
Citizen had recently approved the Online Safety Bill, subject to the amendments determined by the Supreme Court.The bill was approved when
the Sectoral Oversight Committee met in Parliament on Monday (22) under the chairmanship of the MP Lalith Warankumara
Thus, the bill, which was tabled in Parliament by Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles was taken for the second reading debate on Tuesday
(23) and Wednesday (24).The Online Safety Bill, published in the government gazette on September 18, aims to ban online communication of
to 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 AIC, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Bar Association of Sri Lanka
(BASL), and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) voicing concerns.The Asian Internet Coalition (AIC), which has Apple, Amazon,
called for extensive amendments to it.Meanwhile, the collective of Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Management (BPM)
industry stakeholders in Sri Lanka have also raised key concerns regarding the controversial Bill.The Sri Lanka Association of Software and
Service Companies (SLASSCOM), Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) and
journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara and many other 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 of
Parliament, 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,
these clauses are amended during the Committee Stage, the Online Safety Bill can be passed by a simple majority in the parliament, the
