Media associations condemn recent attack on photojournalist

Call for fair inquiry and respect for citizens' right to information

Yesterday, journalist associations and organisations condemned a police officer's harassment of a photojournalist at the Hulftdorp Court premises, and they called for a fair inquiry of the incident.

The Police began an inquiry into the incident after the photojournalist Akila Jayawardena lodged a complaint against Inspector Neomal Rangajeewa.

Mr Jayawardena complained the Inspector had intimidated and harassed him, and had obstructed his professional duties as well.

The Free Media Movement issued a statement which strongly condemned the Police officer's action of intimidating a journalist who had been at the court premises to cover an assignment.

In this statement they condemned the forceful obstruction, intimidation and threats made by Inspector Rangajeewa.

They also called on the authorities to conduct an inquiry into the incident immediately, and to respect the citizens' right to information and news.

The Photo Journalist Association said it too condemn the Police officer's actions. The association said the Police officer had behaved like a thug, and it did not expect such behavior from a Police officer.

Yesterday, the Information Department's Director General Nalaka Kaluwewa had written to the Police Acting Inspector General yesterday asking for a fair investigation into the incident.

He said journalists who had undergone similar incidents had a Government issued media accreditation, and the police officer had therefore violated a Government assurance.

He also said the Government had made sure journalists would not be disrupted from their duties.

Mr Jayawardena told the Sunday Times he and two of his fellow photojournalists went to cover a court case judgment at Hulftsdorp on Friday. They had taken photographs of former Police Narcotic Bureau officer Inspector Rangajeewa.

“Suddenly Inspector Rangajeewa came towards me and he tried to take my camera. He threatened me saying, ‘Umba kauda mage photos ganna.’ Then he grabbed me by the shirt and forcefully took me to the Police post at the court premises," he said.

Mr Jayawardena said he feared he would be physically assaulted as the Inspector had removed his blazer and attempted to pounce on him. Then the two memory cards of the camera were taken by Mr Ranagjeewa. However they were returned after the Officer in Charge at the Police post intervened.

He said Inspector Ranagjeewa disregarded him when he said he was a journalist and showed his accreditation. He had complained to the same Police post and then recorded a statement at the Colombo DIG office.

He also said Mr Ranagjeewa was waiting outside the DIG office when he left the DIG office after making the statement.

Inspector Rangajeewa was indicted in the case over the killing of eight inmates during the Welikada Prison Riots that took place on November 9, 2012. He was reinstated later.

Inspector Rangajeewa was indicted in a case where eight inmates were killed during the Welikada Prison Riots of November 9, 2012. He was later reinstated.

Meanwhile Inspector Rangajeewa who held a news conference yesterday said that he was doing so to apologise to the journalist. He claimed that he " mistook" the journalist as his "appearance and behaviour were suspicious".

Mr. Jayawardena said the inspector had not personally apologised to him so far.