Journalist stabbed for covering illegal sand mining; FMM alleges police reluctant to take action
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 16 January 2008 FMM press release: Journalist stabbed for covering illegal sand mining 16 January 2008, Colombo – FMM expresses its serious concern and disappointment at the inability of the Sri Lankan Police to arrest the perpetrators who stabbed Bingiriya provincial journalist Mr. Victor Somaweera, although six days have […]
Undercover police attempt to abduct veteran journalist
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Police attempt to abduct a senior journalist 10 January 2008, Colombo – FMM is shocked and outraged that in an apparent abduction attempt police tried to enter the residence of senior journalist Poddala Jayantha during the early hours of January 7. Poddala Jayantha, provincial news editor […]
In latest attempt to silence Jaffna daily, paper receives telephone threats
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM media release: Newspaper office receives threatening phone call Attempts to silence Jaffna daily “Uthayan” 9 January 2008, Colombo – The Free Media Movement is deeply concerned and condemns the attempt to silence the “Uthayan” newspaper, published in Jaffna. According to the Managing Director of the newspaper, Mr. E. […]
Government minister recklessly accuses TV programme, journalist of promoting terrorism
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Senior journalist and a TV channel labeled as “terrorist” by a minister The FMM is seriously alarmed by statements made in a 7 January 2008 press conference by the Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, Mr. K. N. Douglas Devananda, in which he leveled inflammatory […]
Journalists face death threats for protesting minister’s attack on media outlet
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 6 January 2008 FMM press release: Journalists face death threats for resisting government MP’s thuggery 6 January 2008, Colombo – A number of journalists in Sri Lanka have received credible information that underworld gangs have been ordered to threaten, harass and even kill them for their involvement in protests […]
Army commander denounces sections of media, journalists as “traitors”
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM media release: Army Commander calls journalists traitors 4 January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The FMM is deeply disturbed to note that the commander of the Sri Lankan army, Major General Sarath Fonseka, has labeled sections of the media and journalists “traitors”. In an interview published in the […]
Media minister’s restrictive definition of “journalist” aims to downplay number of attacks on media, says FMM
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 24 December 2007 FMM press release: FMM deplores Sri Lankan Media Minister’s statement 24 December 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The Free Media Movement (FMM) is strongly opposed to and deeply regrets the self-styled definition of “journalist” as put forward recently by the Sri Lankan Media Minister, Hon. Anura […]
Parliamentarian murdered after announcing intention to expose government involvement in abductions, killings
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 1 January 2008 FMM press release: FMM strongly condemns the killing of UNP MP T. Maheswaran 1 January 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The FMM is deeply saddened to hear news of the murder of United National Party (UNP) Member of Parliament T. Maheswaran in Colombo. As noted on […]
France 24 journalists freed after being held for two days
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF welcomes the 26 December 2007 release of two French journalists employed by the French TV news channel France 24 – reporter Capucine Henry and cameraman Constantin Simon – who were arrested on the evening of 24 December in the southern district of Galle while traveling with a Tamil family. Henry has been […]
President sanctions broadcaster rather than media-abusing minister
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: FMM Statement on the continuing developments in the episode involving Minister Mervyn Silva at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation on 27th December 2007 FMM expresses its alarm at the incredible turn of events in the aftermath of the episode in which Minister Mervyn Silva attempted to […]
Government minister and supporters assault state television station news director over failure to broadcast his speech
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 27 December 2007 FMM press release: Government Minister runs amok in State run TV station in Sri Lanka 27 December 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The FMM is outraged, not for the first time, at the behaviour of Government Minister Mervyn Silva today. In a wanton act of violence, […]
Police interrogate journalist’s wife under false pretences; harassment aimed at instilling fear in independent journalists, says FMM
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 16 December 2007 FMM press release: In the guise of telephone repairmen, police enter photojournalist’s residence 16 December 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka – The FMM is disturbed to learn that officers of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) visited the residence of senior Reuters photojournalist Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi in Sarojinee Watta, […]
Journalists harassed, deterred from reporting by officials; trend of assaults on provincial reporters “deeply disturbing”, says FMM
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Attacks against Provincial Media point to larger malaise in Sri Lanka 14th December 2007, Colombo, Sri Lanka: – It has been reported to the FMM that three provincial correspondents were prevented from reporting an incident related to the abuse of power by government officials. This incident […]
Two more media workers killed in radio station bombing, bringing total to five; BBC broadcast censored; journalist threatened
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 28 November 2007 FMM press release: Voice of Tigers radio station bombed, five media workers killed BBC Sinhala programme “Sandeshaya” censored by state radio Provincial journalist threatened Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Free Media Movement (FMM) is appalled by continuing violations of the Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka by […]
Three media workers killed in air strike on rebel radio station
(RSF/IFEX) – A Sri Lanka military air strike on 27 November 2007 on the Voice of Tigers, the radio station of the Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the country, was a “war crime,” Reporters Without Borders said. Three of the station’s staff, who had not been given any warning, and six other civilians, […]
Newspaper delivery person missing, believed abducted
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Another media worker missing in Jaffna FMM is disheartened to report that another media worker has gone missing in Jaffna. Newspaper delivery person for the Jaffna-based Tamil daily “Yal Thinakkural”, Mr. Anthonypillai Sherin Sithranjan, has been missing since 5 November 2007. Sithranjan is 36 years old, […]