‘Journalists for Rights’ organisation urges the government, not to infringe the statutory rights of people which guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech and expression, and to act as a responsible government by protecting citizens’ rights and encouraging social media users and journalists who communicate and express their views in appropriate way.
The Journalists for Rights has said this, issuing a statement condemning the ongoing repression of the media. The statement was issued by K. Sanjeewa, Jayani Abeysekera and Attorney-at-Law Dulan Dasanayake on behalf of the conveners’ board of the organization.
The statement further states:
“Journalists for Rights” Organization that dedicated to enforce, ensure and develop rights of journalists’ as well as citizens, has been focusing on the threats to freedom of speech and expression on the past few days,
It seems that the government is trying to suppress social media activists in particular. Police spokesman said that The Criminal Investigation department (CID) had been tasked with investigating those who are spreading false propaganda about prevailing Covid 19 situation and other sensitive issues on social media platforms. We pay keen attention to the point “other sensitive issues” which contained in the spokesman’s statement. There is no further explanation for what are the “other sensitive issues” and how expansive they are, and it is questionable to whom those are sensitive.
The press release issued by the Police Media Division on June 08, 2021 also presented the statement of the Police Media Spokesman in detail and shows to the public a number of ordinances that can be used to file charges.
We are deeply concerned about the referencing Article 120 of Penal Code Ordinance here. It makes opposing the Government is a criminal offense according to the traditional colonial rule. We would like to point out that the right to speech and expression guaranteed to citizens by the Constitution paramount beyond that law. We have to be remindedthat The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld on a number of occasions that citizens can act against the government through freedom of speech and expression. We would like to remind youthat the arrests made under the ICCPR act are being heavily criticized by the general public. Moreover, Shakthika Sathkumara, who was arrested by the police and remanded for several months under Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act, for publishing a short story on social media has discharged later and all charges against him dropped immediately and unconditionally.
Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara, reiterates a statement on 08th June in Parliament, that similar to the statement made by the Police Media Spokesman. Speaking in Parliament, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage also responded to an Opposition MP, hinted on social media activities and a bill to regulate them soon. These incidents show that the government is trying to intimidate social media users who possess freedom of speech and expression by criticizing the government.
While acknowledging that social media users should also be aware of the media, we urge the authorities to stop intimidating social media users, journalists and the general public by using the actions of certain individuals and social media users as a pretext.
While the police and the government are preparing to take immediate action on social media users who spreading false news , the media also reported a significant changes in the statistics of Covid 19 infected patients on the websites of the Ministry of Health and the Epidemiology Unit. We deplore the warnings imposed by the government to the social media users on sharing false information in such a complex pandemic situation where even government agencies with the easiest access to official information about Covid 19 are unable to provide accurate statistical information.
After the few hours of police spokesman’s statement, the CID’s arrested social media activist Yasiru Kuruwitage Mathew, Chairman of the Information Technology Society of Sri Lanka. We are closely watching the law being enforced against him and reportedly, CID officers who came to arrest him have failed to state what the charge against him at that moment. Accordingly, it is doubtful whether the arrest was made in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law. We urge the government to give Mr. Yasiru Kuruwitage Mathew the fair protection of the law and the protection of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
‘Journalists for Rights’ organisation urges the government, not to infringe the statutory rights of people which guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech and expression, and to act as a responsible government by protecting citizens’ rights and encouraging social media users and journalists who communicate and express their views in appropriate way.
