(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 23 December 2002 FMM press release: The registrar of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has requested information on journalists from the state-owned television station, signifying that contempt of court charges may be laid against them. The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and the state-owned Lake House newspaper group […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 23 December 2002 FMM press release:
The registrar of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has requested information on journalists from the state-owned television station, signifying that contempt of court charges may be laid against them. The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and the state-owned Lake House newspaper group had earlier aired and published interviews with two judges about a case the latter had filed with the Supreme Court. The judges allege that the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), headed by the Chief Justice, violated the judges’ fundamental rights.
The journalists, whose anonymity has been kept by the media organisations, interviewed the two judges after the latter were removed from their posts as President and Secretary of the Judicial Services Association (JSA). The judges state that they were dismissed in an illegal meeting of the JSA.
The Free Media Movement believes that the threat by the Supreme Court to charge the journalists with contempt of court is a serious challenge to freedom of expression in the country.
In their defense, the judges state that the JSC did not allocate the funds necessary to hold the 60th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the JSA, nor grant JSA members leave so that they could attend the meeting.
Instead, the judges allege that on the dates on which the AGM should have been held, the JSC organized an administrative seminar and made it mandatory for all judges to attend. After the President and Secretary of the JSA filed their case protesting this, the administrative seminar was cancelled and the AGM was held. At the AGM, the two office bearers were then fired. The journalists interviewed the two judges about charges that were levelled against them at the impromptu AGM.
The FMM strongly believes that the two judges have the right to respond to allegations made against them, and that the media has the right to report the judges’ views.
Sunanda Deshapriya
Convenor, Free Media Movement
