Long-time ISLP volunteer legal expert, Sigurd Sorenson, recently returned from the first of two scheduled visits to Colombo, Sri Lanka on a major media law reform project there.
On his first trip, Mr. Sorenson consulted with numerous Sri Lankan journalists, government ministers, and broadcast-media owners to better understand the challenges facing journalists; to discuss what specific legal reforms may be needed and to determine which such reforms might have a reasonable chance of being made into law.
A particular focus of the trip was to gauge stakeholder reaction to a proposed “News Media Council Act,” which was drafted last year by a group of Sri Lankan media-law academics. The proposed Act contains several laudable provisions that would significantly enhance press freedoms. However, it is controversial because it also would give the government a role, albeit an indirect one, in enforcing ethics abuses by journalists. The consensus among the stakeholders Mr. Sorenson met with was that it would be far preferable to create an independent, voluntary, and self-regulatory press council.
Mr. Sorenson is scheduled to return to Colombo in August to follow through on the progress he has made so far.
Mr. Sorenson heads this own law firm in New York, the Sorenson Law Offices. His previous foreign projects for the ISLP Media Law Working Group include the several trips he made to Mongolia to assist its journalistic and legal communities. A huge thanks to him for his work so far and his commitment going forwards!