Amnesty International has asked Government of Srilanka to investigate the intimidation on journalist Deleessha Abeysundara and media workers and called Sri Lankan authorities to abolish or reform legislations that are being used to suppress the right to freedom of expression.
Journalist and media rights activist, Dileesha Abeysundera is in danger after a gang of unidentified people threatened her and tried to forcefully gain access to her property in Sri Lanka said Amanesty International in a statement.
Read the full text of the statement
On 28 September, at around 11:45pm, several unidentified people travelling in white vans attempted to break into Dileesha Abeysundera’ s compound in the Borella district of the capital city, Colombo. The gang repeatedly banged on her gate while calling out her name. When she asked who they were, ensuring that the gate was still locked and the door only slightly ajar, they said they were looking for Dileesha Abeysundera of the Sunday Leader newspaper. She told them that they had the wrong house and closed the door. The gang loitered for a few minutes until poor weather drove them away.
Dileesha Abeysundera is an award winning journalist for the Sri Lankan newspaper, Irudina (part of The Leader Group) that is known for its highly critical coverage of the Sri Lankan government. She is also the Deputy Secretary of the Free Media Movement and Secretary of the National Forum for Journalists in Sri Lanka.
Dileesha Abeysundera believes that the gang threatened her because of her work campaigning for media rights. She had organized and attended a meeting on 28 September, calling for the abolition of what she has publically stated as the ‘draconian provisions in the Press Council Act.’ The government has repeatedly defended the Press Council Act which has been used to violate the right to freedom of expression.
In Sri Lanka, at least 14 media workers have been killed since 2006. In June, Poddala Jayantha of the Sri Lankan Working Journalists Association was abducted and severely beaten by a group of armed men. Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was abducted on 27 August by a group who also arrived in a white van. White vans have been used in many abductions and enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka particularly since 2006, when state agents and paramilitary groups that are allied to the government stepped up attacks on critics of the government. Prageeth Ekneligoda was forcibly bundled into the van, blindfolded, handcuffed and taken to an unknown destination before being released the following day.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Dileesha Abeysundera works for Irudina newspaper which is part of the The Leader Group. The group also includes The Sunday Leader and The Morning Leader. There have been numerous serious attacks on the staff and its publishers. In January 2009 Editor Lasantha Wickramatunga was murdered. Its offices have been burnt down, bombed and sealed.
Physical attacks and the relentless intimidation of journalists as well as government imposed restrictions on reporting are threatening freedom of expression in Sri Lanka. Unprecedented levels of violence against media workers engaged in critical reporting have contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship that denies Sri Lankans the right to information. Journalist J.S. Tissainayagam was sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment on 31 August 2009, on charges that his reporting on human rights issues promoted terrorism.
Numerous journalists have been detained while others have fled the country following death threats. At least 14 media workers have been killed since 2006. Investigations into the unlawful killings of journalists have failed to result in prosecutions.
The Press Council Act has reintroduced stringent provisions against press freedom. It allows for journalists to be prosecuted for contempt and sentenced to extended periods in prison, and prohibits the publication of materials related to government documents, the armed services, national security and economic policy.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
– calling on Sri Lankan authorities to ensure the safety of Dileesha Abeysundera;
– calling on Sri Lankan authorities to investigate the intimidation of Dileesha Abeysundera and attacks on other Sri Lankan journalists and media workers;
– calling on Sri Lankan authorities to abolish or reform legislations that are being used to suppress the right to freedom of expression and put an end to the climate of impunity that has allowed a long campaign, by state agents and paramilitary groups, of intimidation and violence against independent journalists in Sri Lanka