The Media Ministry has recommended the temporary blocking of these websites for publishing articles defamatory of various individuals.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka has temporarily blocked nine websites on recommendations made by the Media Ministry.
The Media Ministry has recommended the temporary blocking of these websites for publishing articles defamatory of various individuals.
Deputy Director General of TRC, U. H. C. Priyantha has told the media that the websites have not been blocked by the TRC.
He has explained that TRC has requested the service providers not to host certain websites operating in the country on a temporary basis following Media Ministry directives.
He has said that the websites that have been temporarily blocked operate from overseas and that in most instances, they could be viewed from other countries although it is blocked in Sri Lanka.
According to Priyantha, it is the Media Ministry that would have to monitor the websites that are temporarily blocked once the TRC carries out the Ministry directive.
The TRC has stated that the Media Ministry requests the TRC to block certain websites after holding an inquiry, claiming that there is no way to contact a person responsible for these sites since most of the websites blocked by the TRC do not even have contact details of a person responsible.
(CP)