Sri Lanka’s New President Faces Urgent Call to Restore Press Freedom

Election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Sri Lanka’s new president, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has issued a direct and urgent appeal, urging him to commit to restoring press freedom in a country where journalists have long endured censorship, harassment, and violence. Sri Lanka currently ranks 150th out of 180 countries in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, reflecting a deep and ongoing erosion of media rights.

RSF’s statement, released on September 23, highlights the deteriorating state of journalism under the previous government, where legislation such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the recently passed Online Safety Act were used to silence dissent and intimidate reporters, especially those from Tamil and Muslim communities. The organization called on Dissanayake’s administration to reverse this legacy and take concrete steps to create a safe, pluralistic media environment.

RSF outlined five key demands. First, it called for an end to impunity for crimes against journalists, citing high-profile cases such as the unresolved 2009 assassination of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge and the 2010 disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda. Second, it urged the full repeal of the PTA, which has often been weaponized against minority and investigative reporters. Third, RSF demanded the abolition or significant amendment of the Online Safety Act, warning that it threatens to institutionalize online censorship. The final two recommendations include strengthening judicial independence and supporting media pluralism through legal and financial protections for independent outlets.

Dissanayake, whose National People’s Power coalition secured a two-thirds majority in parliament, had campaigned on a platform promising democratic reform and accountability. While his party pledged to combat misinformation and misuse of mass media, press freedom groups caution that any regulation must not come at the expense of critical journalism.

RSF emphasized that this is a decisive moment. The new administration has a rare opportunity to break with a history of suppression and impunity. If Dissanayake truly seeks democratic renewal, ensuring the safety and independence of journalists must be one of his government’s earliest and most sincere commitments.