<strong>LET’S CONDEMN THE BRUTAL ASSAULT ON SIRASA AND DERANA JOURNALISTS</strong>
09.07.2020
Colombo
PRESS RELEASE
LET’S CONDEMN THE BRUTAL ASSAULT ON SIRASA AND DERANA JOURNALISTS
Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA) strongly condemns the brutal attack on journalists of Sirasa TV and Derana TV while reporting a protest in front of the personal residence of Prime Minister, Ranil Wickramasingha on 9th July 2022 (today) by the Sri Lanka Police and Special Task Force.
It has been reported that female journalist Sarasi Pieris together with journalists Janitha Mendis, Waruna Sampath, J. Sinthujan, Kali Muththuchandran, Januka Weerakoon and a provincial correspondent from Derana TV were admitted to the National Hospital. SLWJA believes that this is not only an assault on journalists but also an assault on people’s right to know information.
SLWJA, on several occasions, informed Inspector General of Police regarding various forms of harassments on journalists and our Association strongly believes that journalists continue to be harassed for failing to act in this regard despite calls for action to prevent a recurrence. Once again SLWJA urges Inspector General of Police to intervene to enforce the law against those who assaulted journalists without taking their ranks into consideration.
Duminda Sampath Frank De Zoysa
President Secretary
