Sri Lanka

(IPI/IFEX) – In a 20 October 2000 letter to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, IPI condemned the murder of a Sri Lankan journalist. According to IPI’s sources, on 19 October, Mailvaganam Nimalaranjan died after being shot by unidentified attackers. Nimalaranjan was working in the study of his home in Jaffna, the centre of Sri […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: The Free Media Movement expresses its deep sorrow and condemnation of the murder of veteran Tamil journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan in Jaffna yesterday. Mr. Nimalarajan worked as the Jaffna correspondent for a number of electronic and print media institutions in the south of the island, as well […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The Ruling People’s Alliance Party in Sri Lanka has launched a vicious campaign against the commissioner of elections and are said to be taking steps to remove him from office. At the center of the controversy is a decision by the commissioner of elections to print a secret security sticker for polling cards […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: 12 September 2000 Human rights group condemns Sri Lanka election violence and calls on Government to lift expression restrictions ARTICLE 19 today condemned the escalating number of killings and physical attacks apparently connected to October’s parliamentary elections and called upon the Sri Lankan government […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ news alert: CPJ CONDEMNS SENTENCING OF SRI LANKAN EDITOR Calls for Repeal of Criminal Defamation Laws New York, September 5, 2000—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the sentencing today of Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor of the English-language weekly newspaper The Sunday Leader, on charges of criminally defaming President […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the post, telecommunications and media minister, Mangala Samaraweera, RSF expressed its concern about accusations of “treason” and “spying” published in State media against four Sri Lankan journalists. RSF called on him to ensure that “this intimidation campaign against opposition journalists cease” and “those responsible for the threats are sanctioned”. […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Award wining film banned under censorship laws The Free Media Movement is extremely disturbed by the news that the exhibition of Prasanna Vithanage’s award-winning film “Purasanda Kaluwara” (Death on a Full Moon Day) has been deferred due to the prevailing security situation. This film, which won […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 6 July 2000 CPJ letter to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga condemning the recently revised censorship decree: July 6, 2000 Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat Colombo-1 Sri Lanka VIA FAX: 011-94-1-333-703 Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is deeply concerned about the latest setbacks to press freedom in Sri Lanka and is strongly condemning the reintroduction, on 4 July 2000, of censorship measures aimed at local and foreign media. According to IPI’s sources, the new regulations will make it possible for the government to censor war-related news and other […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 3 July 2000 ARTICLE 19 press release: SRI LANKAN CENSORSHIP REGULATION STILL IN PLACE DESPITE COURT RULING ARTICLE 19 today welcomed the Sri Lankan Supreme Court’s ruling of Friday 30 June, which held that the state censor was not properly appointed and therefore had no authority to close […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 30 June 2000 CPJ press release: CPJ Welcomes Court Decision Striking Down Censorship in Sri Lanka Chief Censor’s Appointment Illegal, Supreme Court Rules New York, June 30, 2000 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) applauds Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruling today that the government’s system of news censorship […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM statement: The Free Media Movement is gravely concerned by the concentrated attack of government-owned media on a group of journalists who attended a media workshop in the eastern batticaloe district, accusing them of being linked to the Tamil separatist movement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The […]

**Updates IFEX alerts of 7 and 6 June, 24, 23, 22, 15 and 4 May 2000** (CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 15 June 2000 CPJ press release: OFFICIALS PLEDGE TO LIFT SRI LANKA CENSORSHIP CPJ Delegation Is Told Restrictions Are Counterproductive COLOMBO, Sri Lanka June 15 — Harsh press censorship in Sri Lanka is […]

(FMM/IFEX) – The following is a 6 June 2000 joint statement signed by political parties, trade unions and a number of other civil society organisations, following a joint protest campaign co-ordinated by Free Media Movement: Repeal Oppressive Laws Defend Democratic Rights The negative impact of the government’s decision to place the country on a ‘war […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 5 June 2000 letter to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, CPJ welcomed her government’s decision to lift the prior censorship requirement for foreign media, but is deeply disturbed that the censorship regulations remain in place and that restrictions on local media continue. The emergency regulations were imposed on 3 May, following critical […]

**Updates IFEX alerts of 23, 22 and 4 May 2000** (RSF/IFEX) – In a 23 May 2000 letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, RSF protested the suspension of three private newspapers and threats to close down a television broadcaster. According to the law, the head of state has the power to drop sanctions against media accused […]