Several media organizations have made a written request to the Inspector General of Police Chandana Wickramaratne asking him to prepare a series of guidelines regarding how police officers should deal with media coverage during protests.
In a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the organization states that this request is being made because there has been an increase in attacks targeting journalists while reporting on protests and agitations.
The article also alleged that the National Organizer of the Union of Professional Journalists, journalist Shanta Wijesuriya, was assaulted by the police officers during a protest near Jubilee Kanwanwa junction, Mirihana on March 31.
It also stated that media organizations as a whole strongly condemn the attack on a journalist while performing his duties.
The letter has also requested that the law be enforced against the police officers who attacked journalist Shanta Wijesuriya. The article has emphasized that the Media Society firmly believes that assisting journalists in their professional activities is an indispensable responsibility of the police officers who are bound to secure law and order.
This letter has been forwarded to the IGP with the signatures of Duminda Sampath, President of Sri Lanka Professional Journalists’ Association, Lasanta De Silva, Secretary of Free Press Movement, Shalika Wimalasena, Convener of Young Journalists’ Association and others.
In its letter, the media club has accused that the fundamental rights of the people are seriously violated through such attacks on journalists. The article also states that it has been observed that intentional attacks on journalists have increased rapidly since March 31, 2022.
(Mubima .lk)
