News
FMM, IFJ see detention of media rights activists as threat to press freedom
View(s):The Free Media Movement (FMM) yesterday condemned the detention of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)’s Asia-Pacific Director Jacqui Park and her deputy Jane Worthington on Wednesday
FMM Convenor Sunil Jayasekara said the detention of the journalists was a clear case of intimidation aimed at curtailing the freedom of expression and it came at a time when hundreds of foreign journalists were preparing to visit Sri Lanka to cover the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.The two IFJ officials were detained for questioning by defence and immigration officials.
Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the weekly cabinet news conference that they were questioned for travelling on a tourist visa and taking part in a workshop. Meanwhile the IFJ condemned the detention of the two media right activists.
“Ms. Park and Ms. Worthington were detained at a press freedom meeting in Colombo on Wednesday and were held in their hotel and subjected to lengthy interrogation by defence and immigration officials and the Criminal Investigations Department all Thursday’, the IFJ said in a statement.
‘”They were taken from the meeting to their hotel against their wishes. Their passports were confiscated and they were not allowed to leave to board their planned flight at 2.45pm on October 31. A device was inserted into Ms. Park’s laptop and interrogating officers appeared to download files,” it said.
The IFJ said according to the Sri Lankan Government-operated Electronic Travel Authorisation system website, attending workshops was not prohibited under the conditions of the Sri Lankan tourist visa. The IFJ is adamant that no breaches of visa conditions have occurred.
The IFJ said it believes this move by Sri Lankan officials is an attempt to intimidate and harass journalists inside and outside Sri Lanka to prevent reporting on the realities of life in Sri Lanka in the lead-up to the CHOGM, which begins in Colombo on November 15.Meanwhile, Sydney-based AFP report quoted Ms. Park as accusing Sri Lankan officials of a “witch-hunt” against local journalists. She made the accusation when she arrived back in Sydney yesterday after being detained in Colombo for two days.
“From the kinds of questions that we had over the two days it was clear it was kind of a witch hunt against the local media, local journalists and media freedom activists who are really trying to create some free space for freedom of expression in Sri Lanka,” Ms. Park said from Sydney.
“We know from our work this is not an isolated incident but really a pattern of behaviour of intimidation and threats against journalists in Sri Lanka.”
She called on Canberra to take a close look at the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s office had no comment on the matter, but the conservative leader has previously said he will attend CHOGM because he believes the Commonwealth is an important institution.
comments powered by Disqus