CID summoning ‘Aruna’ editor can’t be dismissed as an isolated incident – SLWJA
A team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has visited the Aruna newspaper office on Nov. 22 to obtain a statement from its Editor-in-Chief – Mahinda Illeperuma.
The move follows the publication of a news report on Nov. 19, which claimed the police had instructed to obtain a character certificate from the Chair of the Civil Security Committee of the relevant GN division when applying for a police report.
Illeperuma has been informed to appear before the CID today (Nov. 24) with details relating to the news report.
The letter issued by the CID to the editor in this regard, is shown below.
In this backdrop, media rights activists have raised serious concerns over press freedom, stating that summoning editors over published content could set a dangerous precedent.
Speaking in Parliament on Nov. 20, the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – Ananda Wijepala refuted a claim made by the ‘Aruna’ newspaper and stated that he will complain in this regard to the Committee on Privileges.
On the same day, Minister of Health and Mass Media – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa also urged media institutions not to publish what he termed “distorted news” under the pretext of the public’s right to information.
‘Don’t go, ask the CID to come instead’
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, senior journalist and Editor of the ‘Colombo Telegraph’ – Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, has urged the ‘Aruna’ Editor – Mahinda Ileperuma to not to report personally to the CID but insist that the CID investigators visit his office instead.
He also points out that the Free Media Movement, has taken a stance since the early 90s, which was to inform the CID that if they wished to question anyone, they are free to visit the respective media office to do so.
That is the stance we took when the then Lakbima Editor Bandula Padmakumara was summoned to the CID during CBK’s time, he says.
Noting that summoning journalists to the CID has been a tactic to intimidate them and waste their time, Mr. Kurukulasuriya further urges not to allow the dignity of a journalist’s work to be undermined and to request the CID to come to the media station instead to take a deeper idea of a journalist’s work as well.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) states that such incidents cannot be dismissed as isolated ones by any party fighting for media freedom and journalists’ rights.
The full statement is shown below.
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