Sri Lanka

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Three journalists belonging to the Udyan, Eelanadu and Eelanthan newspapers were assaulted and their cameras taken away temporarily by the Sri Lankan military while covering a demonstration in Kodikamam, Jaffna on 15th November 2004. The Free Media Movement (FMM) condemns this behavior by security forces, which […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 26 October 2004 FMM press release: Assault on Lake House correspondent Free Media Movement condemns the political thuggery unleashed on Sanjaya Asela, a correspondent for the Lake House newspaper group’s Maturata division in Kandy, while covering the protest campaign organized by the main opposition United National Party (UNP) in […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an 18 October 2004 FMM press release: Grenade attack on television station An unidentified person rode his motorbike onto the premises of Swarnavahini television station in Colombo and lobbed a hand grenade at around midnight on Sunday 17 October. Swarnavahini TV is situated alongside the busy Galle Road, Colombo 02. […]

(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an 18 October 2004 RSF press release: Family of journalist Mayilvaganam Nimalarajan demands justice, four years after his murder As his family marks the fourth anniversary of his death, Reporters Without Borders has urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga to revive the investigation into the murder of Tamil journalist Mayilvaganam Nimalarajan. The […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Four journalists issued notice by the Supreme Court to show cause against alleged contempt of Bribery Commission In the last few weeks, four journalists of The Sunday Leader newspaper have been issued notices by the Supreme Court to show cause as to why they should not […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 9 September 2004 FMM press release: Editor removed on political grounds FMM condemns the removal of Mr. Nelson S. Perera, the acting editor of the state-owned, Sinhala-language weekly Silumina, on political grounds. Silumina is published by the state-owned Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL). On 8 September 2004, Mr. […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 3 September 2004 FMM press release: Sri Lankan Editor and FMM convener wins freedom of expression case in UN The United Nations Human Rights Committee has ruled against the Sri Lanka government in a landmark case on freedom of expression vs. criminal defamation law submitted by Mr. Victor Ivan, […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 17 August 2004 CPJ press release: SRI LANKA: Writer and political activist killed New York, August 17, 2004-Amid increased political violence, Bala Nadarajah Iyer, a journalist, writer, and political activist with the opposition Tamil group the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), was shot and killed yesterday, August 16, by […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: FMM condemns killing of Mr. Kandasamy FMM condemns the killing of writer Kandasamy Ayer, alias Balan Naraj, on the morning of 16 August 2004 by unidentified gunmen in Colombo. Mr. Kandasamy was gunned down by two assailants as he was leaving home for work. Mr. Kandasamy […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 27 July 2004 FMM press release: Contempt of court case filed against a number of media organizations The Free Media Movement (FMM) is paying close attention to published reports regarding a petition against a number of media institutions (MTV, Swarnavahini, TNL, Ravaya, Sunday Leader, Sri FM, Sha FM and […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an English translation of an FMM letter to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Indra de Silva regarding the second search of journalist Dharmaratnam Sivaram’s residence: Inspector General of Police Mr. Indra de Silva Police Head Quarters Colombo 01 Dear Inspector General, The Free Media Movement (FMM) wishes to inform you […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM statement: On 26 July 2004, at approximately 8:45 p.m. (local time), journalist Sada Sangaralingam Kamaladasan, of Amarasinha road, in Ariyampathi, Batticaloa, eastern Sri Lanka, was shot in the legs. Two men went to the journalist’s home, asked him to come out and shot him in the legs. The […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 14 July 2004 FMM press release: The Free Media Movement (FMM) expresses its serious concern about the statement made by the chairperson of the Bar Association, Mr. Ikram Mohamed PC, that media critical of the judiciary and of judicial officers should be punished under the law relating to contempt […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 15 July 2004 FMM press release: Assault on journalists by police It has been reported to the Free Media Movement (FMM) that on 14 July 2004, four journalists, who had been covering a funeral gathering within the Kosgoda Police Division’s jurisdiction, were assaulted and wounded, and their camera equipment […]

(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 13 July 2004 RSF press release: Journalists under threat in the East Reporters without Borders publishes an investigative report on threats plaguing the press As threats against journalists in eastern Sri Lanka reached alarming levels over the last few weeks, Reporters Without Borders had been conducting an investigation in […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 12 July 2004 FMM and Centre for Policy Alternatives joint statement: FMM and CPA appeal for Democratisation of State Media In a joint memorandum with the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), the Free Media Movement (FMM) urged all political parties to commit themselves to a common programme of action […]