2010-02-08 14:38:48

Sri Lanka journalists hold anti-government protest


(February 08, 2010) Sri Lankan journalists who claim the government has stepped up its suppression of the media in recent weeks staged a protest on Monday and demanded the release of a detained editor from a pro-opposition newspaper. Nearly a hundred journalists demonstrated in the capital Colombo, urging the government to allow the media to report without hindrance and to free Chandana Sirimalwatte, editor of the Lanka newspaper. They also demanded that authorities track down a columnist of a Web site who disappeared last month. The protest comes on the heels of calls by international human rights and media groups for the Sri Lankan government to stop what they say is harassment of journalists following last month's landslide re-election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. New-York based Human Rights Watch said since the election authorities have detained and questioned several journalists and blocked news Web sites. At least one reporter has been assaulted and several have been threatened.







All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©.