Amnesty concerned over attacks on journalists

Amnesty International  today said it was  concerned by multiple reports of harassment, intimidation and attacks on human rights organisations, media outlets, and journalists in Sri Lanka.

Amnesty International said it has received reports that the authorities carried out more than a dozen unscheduled visits to human rights and media organisations between May 2019 and January 2020 that were seen as acts of harassment and intimidation.

“The targets included human rights organisations, and media outlets, who said they were questioned about their activities by members of the Sri Lankan Police, including the Criminal Investigation Department and the Terrorism Investigation Division, as well as State Intelligence. “, a statement from the AI said.

According to media reports1, a journalist attached to a local daily Lankadeepa, and his family, were attacked on 6 December in Aluthgama, in the South of Sri Lanka. The suspected perpetrators allegedly demanded that the journalist stops reporting around alleged illegal manufacture and trade in toddy, the report added.

Local media also reported2 that on 10 December, the former head of Lake House New Media Division was assaulted by a group of individuals with ties to the ruling political party. He was allegedly3 threatened not to return to the media-house, which is owned by the government of Sri Lanka.

At least twelve cases recorded by Amnesty International indicate that the Sri Lanka Police, including the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) also known as Counter- Amnesty International Public Statement www.amnesty.org , the statement said.

“Terrorism and Terrorism investigation Division (CTID), as well as officials with State Intelligence, have visited the premises of, or summoned members of human rights organizations, making enquiries around project activities, donors and funding information, registration, and details of staff members.”, the statement added.

The Amnesty International said  urges the government of Sri Lanka to:

• Respect, protect, promote and fulfill the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and media freedom including by ensuring a safe and enabling environment in which media houses, journalists, human rights organizations and defenders are protected, can work effectively to defend and promote human rights without fear of reprisal;

• Immediately issue instructions to all branches of law enforcement to end tactics calculated to intimidate HRDs, human rights organizations, media houses and journalists around the country, including surveillance, and reprisals against them;

• Conduct an impartial, thorough and effective investigation into the allegations of intimidation and harassment of HRDs, human rights organizations, media houses and journalists and hold to account anyone suspected to be responsible for violations and abuses.