Orhan Pamuk

PUBLISHED ON WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2012. Filtering, denial of service attacks, withdrawal of content – censors use many different methods to silence news websites. In addition to drawing attention to these acts of censorship and providing the victims with legal, material and financial help, Reporters Without Borders has now decided to provide them with technical assistance as well. So that independent news websites that are targeted by cyber-attacks and government blocking can continue posting...Read Full Story

12 January, 2012   Former Attorney General Mohan Pieris with UN Secretry General Ban Ki Moon Sri Lanka's Appeal Court has ruled that former Attorney General Mr. Mohan Pieris could be called in as a witness to inquire into the disappearance of journalist, Prageeth Eknaligoda. State Counsel told court that the order given by the Homagama Magistrate Court to call former attorney general before court was illegal. Not illegal Appeal Court stated that Homagama Magistrate Court has the power to...Read Full Story

Sri Lankan media rights activists participated in a protest in Galle on Saturday and distributed leaflets highlighting media suppression and human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The protest was held near the venue of the annual Galle Literary Festival where international authors are attending. The organisers said that the objective of the leaflet campaign was to draw international attention to media freedom and harassment to journalists. Writer and activist, Sunila Abeysekera who is attending...Read Full Story

By Charles Haviland  19 January 2012 The festival attracts attention from writers around the world An annual Sri Lankan festival of books has officially begun, featuring authors from 10 countries and an enthusiastic audience of book-lovers. Last year the Galle Literary Festival was the subject of a boycott call from some prominent writers. There has been no repeat call this year. But campaigners are eager to highlight what they say is the patchy human rights situation in post-war Sri Lanka...Read Full Story

20 December, 2011 Missing Journliast Prageeth Ekneligoda Sri Lankan court allowed to call in Former Sri Lanka attorney general Mohan Pieris as a witness before court to inquire into the disappearance of Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda. Homagama Magistrate Court gave the order to call him as a witness despite objections by attorney general when a petition filed by the wife of Journalist Ekneligoda was taken up for hearing on Tuesday. Political asylum Lawyer appearing for Mrs.Sandya Ekneligoda...Read Full Story

Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough—Rouge River, NDP):  Mr. Speaker, on Friday we learned that the government plans to slash $31.5 million from immigration settlement services in Ontario. Community organizations are already struggling because of similar cuts last year and the year before. Ontario remains the number one destination for immigration in Canada. Why is the government making it harder for newcomers to access the services that they need? Hon. Jason Kenney (Minister of Citizenship...Read Full Story

Given the personal conviction of Orhan Pamuk, based on his first-hand experiences as an Istanbul-born, that the feeling that best serves to describe Istanbul in the last one hundred and fifty years, and notably from the disappearance of the Otoman Empire, is of bitterness, which has a lot of melancholy, or rather an essentially bitter melancholy. And the fact that this statement, in no way exclusive in relation to the unconditional love that Pamuk feels for the city, a true protagonist of...Read Full Story

Sunday, October 30, 2011 Concerns will not be limited to words says Canadian MP Canada has fired a warning shot at Sri Lanka saying it will not just sit back and wait if the government fails to address human rights concerns before the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka. The Canadian position was stressed during a two day debate in the Canadian Parliament late last week where Sri Lanka was the focus of attention. Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to...Read Full Story

Thursday, March 31, 2011 International condemnation of journalist arrest Last updated: 31 March, 2011 - Published 17:09 GMT International rights organisations have called for the immediate release of an editor of a website critical of the Sri Lankan government. Bennett Rupasinghe, News Editor of LankaeNews was remanded by courts following his arrest by the Wellampitiya police on Thursday. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that he should be released immediately.   RSF...Read Full Story

Last updated: 31 March, 2011 - Published 17:09 GMT International rights organisations have called for the immediate release of an editor of a website critical of the Sri Lankan government. Bennett Rupasinghe, News Editor of LankaeNews was remanded by courts following his arrest by the Wellampitiya police on Thursday. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that he should be released immediately. RSF research coordinator Gilles Lordet speaking to BBC Sandeshaya said, "this can be...Read Full Story