LankaeNews Website Banned In Sri Lanka: First Official Ban Under 'Yahapalanaya' Government

November 08, 2017

Lankaenews website claims that it has been banned in Sri Lanka again. 

According to a report published in the website, the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka has directed all internet service providers to block access to the website.

Lankaenews said the ban was imposed after it published some articles about President Maithripala Sirisena.

The TRC, however, is yet to verify the claim. 

Lankaenews was banned for a few years under the Rajapaksa administration. Before the ban, its office came under an arson attack and some of its journalists were taken into Police custody. 

Its editor Sandaruwan Senadheera, who fled to London citing threats from the Rajapaksa government, still lives in exile. 

At the last Presidential election, Lankaenews strongly supported President Maithripala Sirisena. 

This was the first time, the TRC got involved in banning a website, after the new government came to power.