Lankadeepa editor-in-chief Siri Ranasinghe has dismissed suggestions by certain media organisations that journalists had forced their way into the premises of the medical faculty hostel in Colombo, in a violation of the journalists’ code of ethics.
In a statement issued regarding the incident on August 28 when Lankadeepa and Sirasa cameramen were allegedly manhandled by a group of medical students near their hostel near Carey College, the Lankadeepa editor-in-chief said:
“Several print and electronic media organisations have attempted to distort the incident that took place, where the cameramen of Lankadeepa and Sirasa were beaten up and their equipment snatched.
“The Lankadeepa media personnel had been on an assignment to gather facts for a news item on the problem that had arisen with regard to the marking of Advanced-Level examination papers. The reporter and the cameraman on assignment had no connection with the students of the medical faculty hostel. Other than the voluntary discussion they had with medical student Nadun Kiribathgoda, there was no other connection with the medical students.
“Despite this, some media organisations have tried to distort the facts and say the media personnel had attempted to forcibly enter the hostel in violation of the code of ethics. The journalists did not enter the hostel premises despite the fact that the camera was snatched from them and was taken inside the building.”
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