Politicslk

Sri Lanka’s Online Safety Act in action.

⚖️The case? The first case was filed in April 2024 by former PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayake, who said private information about him was being shared online. He was classified as a ‘targeted individual’ under the Act (i.e. a person who has been deliberately and repeatedly harassed through the communication of false statements).

🧑🏼‍⚖️The order? After nearly two years, on April 23, 2026 the Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama made permanent the orders against two respondents (his former assistant Gayathri Bimba and academic Prof. Janaka Rajapaksha). As a result the two respondents are restrained from communicating the alleged false information. The order against the other respondents were dismissed.

⚠️The broader implications? This being the first case instituted under Sri Lanka’s controversial Online Safety Act shows the law is now fully operational. It sets an early precedent for how the Act will be applied, while raising wider questions about balancing protection from harassment with privacy rights and freedom of expression in the digital age.

💸 Hackers stole $2.5 million from Sri Lanka’s Treasury using fake emails. Investigators traced part of it to Delaware under a front company, but most accounts are empty – as initially reported by the Sunday Times.

🔍 A global manhunt is on with the FBI and Australian police involved, while Sri Lanka tightens its security to stop future scams.

👉 Swipe to see how it all unfolded…