Free Media Movement

Civil society groups express concern over the potential for overbroad anti-extremism practices to limit free expression

Sri Lankan media widely reported on how inhumanely protesting university students were attacked by the police, who used high-pressure water hoses and teargas.

The two former military officials were arrested over the disappearance of Sri Lankan journalist, Prageeth Eknaligoda. They reportedly confessed to the abduction of Prageeth and handing him over to an army camp on 24 January 2010.

Although some positive initiatives have been taken by the government in relation to media freedom, there have been reports of the use of old tactics of media suppression from different parts of the country.

The perception of increased media freedom must be made permanent, stress the delegates participating in an international mission to Sri Lanka.

FMM condemns the attack by a government politician and his cadres during the ‘Vidiye Wirodhaya’ event, which was organised by a group of Sri Lankan civil society organisations.

A number of journalists participating in the closing ceremony of a journalism training workshop in Colombo on 15 October 2014 received threatening text messages warning them not to attend.

Two journalists were assaulted when supporters of the ruling parties and the opposition clashed in Uva province, Sri Lanka. In a separate incident, another journalist was targeted in Jaffna by a group of people who claimed to be members of the security forces.