While reporting at the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate’s Court, Fazeer Mohamed, the Secretary of the Young Journalists Association and a reporter for the Satahan media, was obstructed by police officers working there and dragged him out of the courtroom.
The basis for this is a case related to police torture that Satahan/whatnews.lk reported last week. Journalist Fazeer Mohamed revealed the facts about the police officers involved in that case in his reporting.
He was at the court when taken up this time regarding the torture and looting of the property of a jewelry shop owner by a group of police officers. They have allegedly robbed the Avendra Hotel in Negombo.
Fazeer Mohamed was the only journalist present there to report on the case. He had been taking notes of the case. He was standing in the courtroom, listening attentively to the events and taking notes. Fazir entered the court premises as usual. He was wearing a media institution ID card.
At that time, a court police sergeant came and asked what he was doing and journalist Fazir stated that he was taking notes as a journalist.
The officer then said, “Get out.” Journalist Fazir Mohamed continued his reporting despite the threat.
After that, a police officer had dragged the journalist who was doing his job out of the courtroom. A policeman had snatched the phone from his pocket and handed it over to a guardhouse, saying that he was recording the court proceedings. But Fazir had switched off the phone.
Journalist Fazir Mohamed and the Young Journalists’ Association hope to file complaints about the incident with the Judicial Service Commission and other institutions.
Meanwhile Director of the Government Information Department has written to the IGP calling for an investigation.
(Edited Translation of an article published by Tharindu Uduwaragedara on whatnews.lk.)