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Currently regulator needs external order to block sites
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Strict but not draconian laws needed: TRCSL DG
TRCSL Director General (DG) Oshada Senanayake[/caption]
By Pamodi Waravita
Following the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl via a website for a period of three months, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) yesterday (8) pointed out the need for updated legislation and stricter actions when these websites are brought to the attention of the authorities.
Speaking to The Morning, TRCSL Director General (DG) Oshada Senanayake said that the TRCSL cannot block websites at its own discretion, as the order should come from the law enforcement authorities or the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA).
“We are the executing arm. We need to update the legislation as the laws we currently have are very archaic. However, it also cannot be a draconian concept where there are no checks and balances. Blocking a website is not enough, there needs to be mechanisms in place so that the perpetrators behind such websites can be arrested and brought before the law, as was the case with the recent incident,” said Senanayake.
A spate of arrests followed the arrest of a man by the Mount Lavinia Police on 7 June over suspicion of having sold a 15-year-old girl via a website – www.lanka.ads.com. The man was also charged with sexually assaulting the girl over the internet and was remanded after being produced before the Moratuwa Magistrate’s Court. The Police said that the girl had been sold to various people for Rs. 10,000, Rs. 15,000, and Rs. 30,000 each for about three months.
The Morning learnt this week that the offending website had been under surveillance of the relevant authorities for some time before the tipoff about the child being sold on the website alerted the Police to make the necessary arrests. Sources privy to the investigation into the same matter told The Morning on Wednesday (7) that the website in question had been under surveillance for a certain period of time, on suspicion that it could pose a threat as a platform for the exploitation of children. However, the law enforcement authorities had not acted on the matter at the time as there was no proper victim being identified, the lack of a criminal complaint, and the fear of the suppression of media freedom.
The NCPA also noted on Wednesday that a lack of the necessary technology and a certain reluctance on the part of the local Police officers to record complaints related to cyber crimes makes it difficult to prevent the occurrence of such crimes.
A total of 34 suspects have been arrested over the sale of the 15-year-old girl including a former Maldivian State Minister for Finance and Treasury Mohamed Ashmalee, a specialist cardiologist attached to the Navy, the victim’s mother, another woman, the person who prepared the advertisement, a three-wheeler driver, a car driver, a hotel manager, and 17 suspects who “purchased” the girl online including the Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha Deputy Chairman, a leading gem businessman, a monk, a ship captain, and crew members.
Police Media Spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of Police Ajith Rohana and NCPA Chairman Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana were unavailable for comment regarding whether they would make a request from the TRCSL to ban said website and pornographic websites as had previously been requested by the Police in open Court hearings pertaining to the case of the exploitation of this 15-year-old minor.