Bail denied for suspects who attacked journalists investigating timber smuggling
The Mullaitivu Magistrate on Friday refused to grant bail to two suspects arrested over the attack on two local journalists.
On Monday, two journalists based in Mullaitivu, Sanmugam Thavaseelan and Kanapathippillai Kumanan were attacked by illegal timber sellers while they were gathering information on timber smuggling activities in the district.
When the case was taken up before Mullaitivu Magistrate S Leninkumar on Friday, lawyers appearing for the suspects argued that there had been a personal dispute with one of the journalists and both had entered the property without permission.
They also argued that the suspects were not aware that they were journalists when assaulted. The police strongly objected to the bail application, and informed court that two more suspects involved in the attack were yet to be arrested. The case was postponed to October 20.
Condemning the attack on journalists, the Free Media Movement ( FMM) noted that in the context of regular reports on environmental disasters, “It is a tragedy that instead of strict legal action taken against these perpetrators, that journalists who come forward to report are being subjected to severe attacks.”
The FMM also noted that another journalist, Indunil Wijenayake, who went to cover an illegal sand mining operation near the Kumbukkan Oya bridge in Moneragala, was attacked by illegal sand miners on October 3.
The FMM urged authorities to initiate legal action against those involved, regardless of rank, enabling journalists to pursue their profession freely without facing such tragic situations.