Censorship reimposed in Sri Lanka

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, JULY 4. Sri Lanka has reimposed restrictions on the media under a new set of rules that encourage self-censorship but give the government the right to punish violators.

The new rules were gazetted late last night and the Competent Authority re-appointed, three days after the Supreme Court ruled that the government did not have any authority to impose censorship under the old regulations.

But unlike before, newspapers need not send their reports to the Competent Authority, as the chief censor is known, under the new rules.

Ban on Tamil daily goes

Security forces permitted the reopening of the Jaffna Tamil daily, Uthayan, late last night.

The management of the newspaper had complained to the Inspector- General of Police that the security forces continued to keep its office in Jaffna closed.

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Section  : International
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