Sri Lanka says The Economist is not blocked

The Director of the Government Information Department Prof. Ariyaratne Ethugala said that the government had permitted Sri Lanka Customs to release The Economist magazine that was reportedly held in the Customs blocking entry to the market of Sri Lanka.

The government said, contrary to the media reports, The Economist Magazine was not impounded in Sri Lanka and it is available in the market.
However, the Economist was not available in the market even by this afternoon.
Vijitha Yapa, the owner of the distribution company Vijitha Yapa Book Stores who is also the Vice Chairman of Sri Lanka Book Publishers' Association said that the ban would affect the foreign investment promotion of Sri Lanka.
This is the second time The Economist, which writes blunt articles criticizing the government, was blocked entry to the island, the distributor says.
Around 1,000 copies of The Economist magazine is sold in Sri Lanka.