By Rathindra Kuruwita

If the Online Safety Bill is passed, Sri Lankans will not be able to talk during a public health crisis in the future, Executive Director of People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Rohana Hettiarachchi says.

The Anti-Terrorism Bill, and the Online Safety Bill have been proposed to ensure the safety of the rulers, he told the media on Thursday.

“We won’t be able to say there are medical shortages. We won’t be able to criticize political leaders or bureaucrats. We won’t be able to organize public protests,” he said.

The Anti-Terrorism Bill has been currently put on hold due to local and international resistance, but the government is trying to push through the Online Safety Bill, which will also have a chilling effect on the fundamental rights of the people, he said.

“Even if the government shelves the Anti-Terrorism Bill for good, it would have achieved its objectives if the Online Safety Bill is passed,” he said.

There are remarkable similarities between the two acts, Hettiarachchi said. The definitions of offenses are broad and vague, which allows the government to punish people according to its whims and fancy, he said.