Sri Lanka blocks social media as opposition protests over state of emergency

Sri Lanka is under a nationwide curfew from Saturday night until Monday morning after Mr Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency and assumed emergency powers at midnight on Friday

Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard before the curfew begins in Colombo. Picture: Eranga Jayawardena/AP

Opposition politicians in Sri Lanka marched in the capital, Colombo, on Sunday, protesting against the president’s move to impose a curfew and state of emergency amid a worsening economic crisis.

Internet users in most of Sri Lanka were also unable to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and other social media platforms on Sunday, after they had been used to organise demonstrations calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign, saying he is responsible for the country’s economic woes.