PAKISTAN READER

Aishal Hab Yousuf  Aishal Hab Yousuf is a postgraduate student at the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is currently an intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.

In the RSF’s World Press Freedom Index Sri Lanka ranked 134 among the 180 countries. The media landscape in Sri Lanka has been facing major challenges for decades. Since the civil war ended in 2009, Sri Lanka has transitioned into a more inclusive democracy. However, freedom of the press is still encumbered by challenges including political pressure on state and private media, ethnic and religious sensitivities, and the long history of intimidation that has collectively weakened press freedom.  

1. Political influence continues to dominate Sri Lanka’s media landscape
The RSF report depicts the fact that ownership concentration is one of the key structural deficiencies that affect press freedom. State owned media entities such as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), Independent Television Network (ITN), and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) function with mere editorial autonomy because they are directly influenced by the incumbent government.

2. Media is dominated by a few houses
The RSF report has taken note, that the four largest newspaper owners also command the attention of approximately three quarters of the national readership. The influential Lake House media network alone owns more than half of the country’s publications. The ownership of these private media houses are at the hands wealthy families or corporations with strong ties to political parties and ruling elites. The concentration of ownership of media on this scale has serious implications for democracy. The RSF report estimates that fewer than one in five Sri Lankans have access to independent media. 

3. Legal mechanisms are increasingly being used to control dissent and digital journalism
Sri Lanka’s constitution formally protects freedom of speech and expression. The report has noted that legal tools are increasingly being used to curb dissent, intimidate journalists and to regulate online speech. This is a mechanism through which authorities, rather than just relying on overt censorship, use regulatory mechanism to create a restrictive media environment, that encourages self-censorship. 

One of the most controversial laws identified in the report is the Sri Lankan International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. While originally intended to protect against hate speech and discrimination, critics argue that authorities have selectively used the law against journalists, activists, and critics of the government. This creates uncertainty over what constitutes lawful speech and encourages self-censorship.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is also a major concern in this regard. It is associated with countering insurgency during the civil war. Today, the law is being used against journalists, particularly those reporting from the Tamil majority northern and eastern regions. The broad powers that were granted to authorities under the garb of anti-terror legislation allow authorities to restrict reporting which is justified in the name of ‘national security.’ 

The report has also highlighted the growing phenomenon of regulation in the digital sphere. In January 2024, Parliament passed the Online Safety Act, thereby establishing the Online Safety Commission. Critics of the Act argue that the commission’s jurisdiction is broad and therefore even liable to ‘censor’ content online and closely monitor social media activity. The members of the commission are appointed by the president which also raises concerns regarding political neutrality. 

4.  Ethnic and religious sensitivities remain central to press freedom restrictions
The report emphasizes that Sri Lanka’s limitations to press freedom is inseparable from its ethnic conflict and the political elite’s affinity towards majoritarianism. The legacy of the civil war and the actions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continue to dictate what journalists can safely report. Coverage related to Tamil communities and human rights still remain highly sensitive.  Journalists investigating these issues especially in the northern and eastern provinces where the Tamil population forms a significant number often face intimidation and surveillance. The situation is more dire for independent Tamil language media organisations due to the pre-existing mistrust between the local communities and state institutions. 

The majority in Sri Lanka is comprised of Sinhala Buddhists, who dominate the discourse in politics and public life. Criticisms of Buddhism, Buddhist clergy or nationalist narratives have incited strong backlash, with prosecutors using provisions of the penal code against journalists that are accused of ‘insulting’ religious sentiments.  There is also an increased sensitivity while it comes to reporting on Muslims communities especially since the 2019 Easter attack. The attack had intensified anti-Muslim rhetoric and securitisation. 

5. Legacy of impunity and intimidation create a climate of fear for journalists
Sri Lanka has not witnessed the killing of a journalist since 2010. However, the legacy of violence against media workers remain unresolved. During the civil war and the years immediately following it numerous journalists, editors, and media activists were abducted, assaulted, disappeared, or killed. One of the most infamous symbols of this period was the “white van” abductions associated with intelligence linked operations during the Rajapaksa era. Journalists that have been critical of the government or those involved in investigating military abuses were amongst the prime targets of this form of harassment. The report specifically addresses the allegations surrounding the former defence secretary and president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The failure to penalise the perpetrators of these crimes has instilled a sense of impunity. Journalists thus work and live in an atmosphere clouded by fear that promotes self-censorship and discourages investigative reports in politically sensitive matters. 

References
“Sri Lanka,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, 30 April 2026

“Sri Lanka: Online Safety Act Major Blow to Freedom of Expression,” Amnesty International, 24 January 2024

“Sri Lanka Passes New Law to Regulate Online Content,” Reuters, 24 January 2024

“Sri Lankan Lawmakers Debate Controversial Internet Safety Bill Amid Protests by Rights Groups,” Associated Press, 23 January 2024

“Sri Lanka: RSF Calls on the New Government to Ensure the Case on the Disappearance of Cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda Is Fully Transparent,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 6 December 2024

“Sri Lanka’s Authorities Must Stop Harassing Tamil Photojournalist Kumanan Kanapathipillai,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 24 October 2025

“Freedom in the World 2025: Sri Lanka,” Freedom House Report 2025

“Sri Lanka: Events of 2025,” Human Rights Watch World Report 2026

Print

Bookmark