Minister Palani Digambaram’s threat to Up-country journalist K. Prasanna condemned.

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Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8th February 2010 -- Sri Lankan media rights activists participate in a protest against the alleged media suppression in Colombo. Sri Lankan journalists claim the government has stepped up its suppression of the media in recent weeks and are demanding the release of the jailed editor of a pro-opposition newspaper. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 08/02/2010.Four year-old daughter of detained Sri Lankan editor Chandana Sirimalwatta, Vihangi Ratnayake holds a placard in Colombo during a protest by media organizations against the continued harassment of journalists. Media groups in Sri Lanka have accused the government of detaining a senior editor and shutting down his newspaper because the publication backed the losing opposition candidate in the January 26 presidential electionsThe protest also highlighted the disappearance of web journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda whose whereabouts are unknown since January 24th. -- DMTX. Sri Lankan media rights activists participate in a protest against the alleged media suppression in Colombo. Sri Lankan journalists claim the government has stepped up its suppression of the med

(August 09th, 2019/Media Release)
Freedom Media Movement vehemently condemns the threat to journalist K. Prasanna by Palani Digambaram, Minister of Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development, in connection to an article titled ‘Does the Indian Housing Scheme provide fund the Minister’s food?’ written by journalist K. Prasanna using Right to Information Act.

This article by journalist K. Prasanna highlighting the irregularities that had taken place in the implementation of the Housing Scheme under the Ministry of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development, was published in the ‘Thinakkural’ Tamil Newspaper on 4.08.2019. The journalist had written this article using the RTI.
Prasanna told us that Minister Digambaram and the Minister’s Coordinating Secretary contacted and threatened him following the publication of the said article. Journalist K. Prasanna has lodged a complaint with the RTI Commission.
Free Media Movement views this as an act of intimidation on the freedom of the press and a threat to the Right to Information Act, thus it calls upon all parties to cooperate with journalists in their work without hindrance.

C.Dodawatta
Convener

Lasantha De Silva
Secretary