Media rights activists condemn attack on journalists during protest outside President's home

Media rights groups have condemned the assault and arrest of several journalists covering Thursday night’s protest near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence in Mirihana.

Several journalists were assaulted, allegedly by police Special Task Force (STF) personnel while covering the protest. At least one journalist was also arrested and allegedly beaten while he was under arrest, according to activists.

Derana TV journalist Sumedha Sanjeewa Gallage, who was arrested while covering the protest was given bail and was discharged from hospital yesterday. He told the Sunday Times that he was assaulted by men he believes to be from the STF.

“I showed them my media identity card issued by the Government Information Department and screamed at them saying 'I’m from the media' but they assaulted me anyway. I have been a journalist for 15 years but this is the first time I was assaulted in that manner,” he said.

Mr Gallage alleged that he was also assaulted by an individual he could not identify before he was taken to the Mirihana Police station.

He has lost partial vision in his right eye due to the assault and will require further medical treatment.

Issuing a statement, the Free Media Movement (FMM) said it viewed the Thursday’s incident as a violation of journalists’ right to report and a serious threat to the right to expression and publication. “It is our firm view that what the police should have done is to act within the law and not wrest professional journalists’ rights from them,” the statement added.

The FMM said it had also written to the Inspector General of Police asking him to ensure that the fundamental rights of the arrested journalists and other citizens are safeguarded.

The Matale Journalists’ Association also held a protest on Friday condemning the assault and arrest of journalists. “If the Government resorts to breaking the limbs of journalists to stop them from covering people taking to the streets, then that government will not survive for long,” Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa, National Organiser of the Provincil Journalists’ Association.