Colombo – The Sri Lankan government blocked social media platforms after imposing a curfew to contain public unrest triggered by the country's economic crisis. Soldiers with assault rifles and police manned checkpoints in Colombo on Sunday.

The latest restrictions come after the government on Saturday implemented a countrywide curfew as protests against the government's handling of the economic crisis turned violent. The curfew will run till 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Monday.

"The social media block is temporary and imposed due to special instructions given by the Defence Ministry. It was imposed in the interests of the country and people to maintain calm," Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Chairman Jayantha de Silva told Reuters.

Internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks said real-time network data showed that Sri Lanka had imposed a nationwide social media blackout, restricting access to platforms including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram as a state of emergency was declared amid widespread protests.

The country's Minister for Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa who is also the nephew of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a tweet he would "never condone the blocking of social media".

Around two dozen opposition leaders stopped at police barricades on the way to Independence Square, some shouting "Gota (Gotabaya) Go Home".

"This is unacceptable," said opposition leader Eran Wickramaratne leaning over the barricades. "This is a democracy."

Nihal Thalduwa, a senior superintendent of police, said 664 people who broke curfew rules were arrested by the police in the Western Province, the country's most populous administrative division which includes Colombo.

The current crisis was accelerated by deep tax cuts promised by Rajapaksa during a 2019 election campaign that were enacted months before the COVID-19 pandemic, which wiped out parts of Sri Lanka's economy.
-Reuters