CPJ welcomes High Court judgment
One of the world's leading organisations dedicated
to defence of press freedom, the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists,
has welcomed Thursday's High Court decision in the Iqbal Athas case. Here
is the full text of the statement:
New York, February 8, 2002—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
welcomes Thursday's decision by a Colombo High Court judge to sentence
two Air Force officers to nine years in prison for their role in a night
time raid on the home of Iqbal Athas, the award-winning defense correspondent
for The Sunday Times. The raid, which occurred on February 12, 1998, was
intended to silence Athas after he had written a series of exposés
on corruption within the military.
"Iqbal Athas not only dared to expose the truth about abuses by members
of the armed forces, he took a great risk by publicly challenging his assailants
and resolutely pursuing their prosecution in the courts," said CPJ executive
director Ann Cooper. "His victory is a triumph for justice in Sri Lanka,
and sends an encouraging message to journalists around the world." Athas,
who received CPJ's International Press Freedom Award in 1994 for his courageous
reporting on Sri Lanka's civil war, said he felt vindicated by yesterday's
judgement.
Judge Sarath Ambepitiya, in his ruling, said, "In a democratic country
like Sri Lanka, newspapers have a right to expose the corruption of anyone."
Noting that violent attacks against journalists undermine press freedom,
the judge added that, "If crime is used to suppress [this right], then
stern action should be taken."
Attacks against the press have been common in Sri Lanka, in part because
such crimes are typically committed with impunity. Athas's case stemmed
from an incident four years ago, when five armed men forcibly entered his
residence and threatened him, his wife, and young daughter at gunpoint.
The intruders were backed by around 25 armed men who waited outside the
house, according to neighbors. The intruders eventually left without inflicting
serious injuries, but the raid was apparently designed to intimidate Athas.
Two Sri Lankan Air Force officers, Squadron Leaders H.M. Rukman Herath
and D.S. Prasanna Kannangara, were eventually indicted on charges of unlawful
entry, criminal trespass, and criminal intimidation, but their trial was
postponed repeatedly. Trial proceedings began in earnest in May 2001, after
CPJ sent letters protesting the delays to Sri Lanka's Attorney General
and Justice Minister. |
