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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned that last week’s introduction of new public security and anti-terrorism measures in SriLanka is a further indication that the country’s steady retreat from a free and open society is continuing.
According to IFJ affiliate, the Free Media Movement (FMM), the new measures, which…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is disturbed by SriLankan journalists’ continued suffering at the hands of authorities, after two journalists were detained by the military and police assaulted a photojournalist, while another journalist remains in detention under anti-terrorist legislation.
“The situation in SriLanka continues to…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) mourns the passing yesterday morning of leading SriLankan journalist, Ajith Samaranayake, and sends its deepest condolences to his family and the media community in SriLanka.
Ajith was one the most well-respected political writers and analysts in SriLanka, who made outstanding contributions in fighting for…
… third editor from Sinhala Daily Dinamina to be dismissed by the state-run media company, Lake House.
“Although the state media should be guaranteed independence, the SriLankan government is guilty of constantly interfering in the appointment or removal of editors to suit their political agenda,” Warren said.
“This shocking…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned for the safety of the head of Tamil-language Shakthi TV, J. Sri Ranga, after police reportedly informed the MTV/MBC network on November 12 that Ranga's life was in grave danger.
According to an IFJ affiliate, the Free Media Movement (FMM), the threats came shortly after the channel broadcast a…
… that no military or police officer has the right to censor or threaten the media,” the IFJ President Christopher Warren said.
“It is time the government of SriLanka made good on its promises and took immediate action to ensure this sort of arbitrary intimidation, particularly in the Jaffna region, does not continue,” Warren said.…
… situation in the country, which has contributed to an uncertain environment in which the media operates, a group of editors and journalists from South Asia is visiting SriLanka from October 23-25, 2006.
The Mission members included: Bharat Bhushan, Editor (Delhi), The Telegraph; Prateek Pradhan, Editor, The Kathmandu Post, Nepal; Mazhar Abbas,…
…
The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the bombing of the official radio station of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Voice of Tigers (VOT), by the SriLankan Air Force in Killinochch, an LTTE held town in Northern SriLanka on October 17.
According to IFJ affiliate, the Free Media Movement (FMM), the attack destroyed the…
…
“To remove an editor from his position simply because of critical comments published in an opinion column is a direct attack on democracy and freedom of speech in SriLanka,” Warren said.
This is not the first time the ANCL has interfered in the editorial functioning of its newspapers.
According to the FMM, Dinamina, the Sinhala…
… stormed the offices and shot dead two employees, injuring two others.
“This sort of targeted terrorisation threatens the very existence of an independent media in SriLanka,” Warren said.
“It is imperative, now more than ever, that swift action is taken by the government of SriLanka to ensure this sort of bullying, harassment,…
… groups in the lead up to his disappearance, and there were news reports of the government’s discontent with his network’s coverage of the ongoing conflict in SriLanka.
“The IFJ is extremely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of Nadarajah Guruparan. His disappearance, especially in light of these threats, is particularly…
…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is horrified by the continued targeted violence against media workers in SriLanka, which this week saw the murder of the managing director of Namathu Eelanadu, and arson attacks which destroyed two newspaper warehouses.
Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah, managing director of the Jaffna Tamil daily, was reportedly shot…
…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has demanded an end to the continued and brutal targeting of Tamil media workers and the intimidation and censorship of SriLankan media.
Sathasivam Baskaram, a distributor for the Tamil newspaper Uthayan was reportedly shot dead on August 15 in Jaffna while returning from marking deliveries. According to an IFJ…
… and anger over the abduction and murder of freelance journalist Sampath Lakmal de Silva over the weekend.
In a serious escalation of violence against media workers in SriLanka, de Silva is the first Sinhala language journalist to be murdered in eight years (the recent murdered journalists have all been Tamil), and he has written stories critical of…
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In an historic move, the Government of SriLanka and two of the country’s leading political parties have offered broad support to reforming the country’s media in moves aimed to have all media institutions embrace public service values.
Public service values in media are an essential part of the peace-building and reconciliation process and for reconstruction and…
…
In an historic move, the Government of SriLanka and two of the country’s leading political parties have offered broad support to reforming the country’s media in moves aimed to have all media institutions embrace public service values.
Public service values in media are an essential part of the peace-building and reconciliation process and for…
…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned about recent death threats and public hate speech attacking journalists in SriLanka.
“The labelling of independent journalists as being politically aligned in such a fragile political environment like SriLanka is a particularly worrisome and dangerous business,” IFJ president…
…
Laxmi Murthy
The small coastal town of Beruwela in SriLanka witnessed a historic Summit of women journalists on 13 and 14 March. More than 70 women journalists representing the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU), SriLanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), Free Media Movement, SriLanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA) and the Sri…
… to resign from state controlled media, during a meeting with journalists representing the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Free Media Movement, the SriLanka Working Journalists Association, Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, SriLanka Tamil Media Alliance, and the SriLanka Muslim Media Forum. The group of…
… to resign from state controlled media, during a meeting with journalists representing the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Free Media Movement, the SriLanka Working Journalists Association, Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, SriLanka Tamil Media Alliance, and the SriLanka Muslim Media Forum.
The group of…
… continues to suffer from acts of oppression and assault.
World Press Freedom Day celebrations on May 1, 2006 were marred by the harassment of journalists in the Maldives, SriLanka, Pakistan and the Philippines.
“It is deeply ironic that World Press Freedom Day saw the arrest and assault of so many of our colleagues. These incidents highlight…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned over the decision by SriLankan authorities to arrest and remand a female journalist on suspicion of association with terrorist activities at a UNESCO conference on World Press Freedom Day, Colombo, SriLanka.
“The arrest of a journalist at an event designed to celebrate and promote freedom of…
… We appreciate very much this award and this recognition by our US colleagues.” He said that during the last year support had been given to journalists in Indonesia, SriLanka, Iran, Iraq, Colombia, and the Philippines where the loss of life had been greatest.
The award was one of several presented at the Guild’s Freedom Award Fund…
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The International Federation of Journalists today said that SriLanka and its major Tamil-dominated cities have become a “deathtrap for journalism” following the brutal assassination of two media staff in the northern city of Jaffna.
Earlier today at 6pm local time, two unidentified gunmen entered into the offices of the Tamil daily nationalist…
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Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the SriLanka Free Media Movement (FMM) all voiced outrage today about the lack of progress in the investigation into the murder a year ago of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam "Taraki" Sivaram, the editor of the Tamilnet news website and columnist for the SriLankan Daily Mirror…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has concerns for freedom of expression in SriLanka following a series of reports that the media continues to suffer from acts of oppression and assault.
Police summoned and interrogated members of the Sinhala-language weekly Irudina, and its English counterpart, The Sunday Leader, on February 10, 2006. An…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned that statements issued by a parliamentarian will contribute to the oppression of media freedom in SriLanka.
On February 1, 2006, the Propaganda Secretary of the Peoples’ Liberation Front (JVP), Mr. Wimal Weerawamsa, spoke in parliament with the intention of inciting hatred against Mr.…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has fears for the safety of SriLankan journalists following the murder of Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan who was shot and killed in Trincomalee, SriLanka.
According to IFJ affiliate in SriLanka, the Free Media Movement (FMM), Sugirdharajan was shot and killed by assailants riding motorcycles at approximately…
… on 13 and 14 November 2005 brought together about one hundred activists, policy makers, legal experts, academics and community women from Kyrgyzstan, India, Nepal, Nigeria, SriLanka and Uganda.
The event was a collaborative effort between Consult for Women and Land Rights (CWLR), Action Aid India, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM),…
… clampdown of freedom of expression and free and independent reporting,” said IFJ president Christopher Warren.
The IFJ is concerned over the following incidents in SriLanka:
Three journalists beaten in Jaffna
On December 19, government security forces assaulted three journalists, covering a peaceful demonstration, at Jaffna University.…
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The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed the initiative taken by its associate member Free Media Movement (FMM) in SriLanka to launch a web site - www.freemediasrilanka.org - to monitor attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression in this southasian country.
The move comes at a crucial time as media workers come under a series…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has welcomed the historic coming together of journalists’ associations in SriLanka with five of SriLanka’s leading journalists’ associations signing onto a joint media charter on media reform at a ceremony in Colombo, SriLanka.
“The Tholangamuwa Declaration is an unprecedented act of…
…
October 20, 2005
Press freedom threatened during election campaign in SriLanka
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has labelled violence against SriLankan journalists in the lead up to the November elections as undemocratic.
Recent threats and attacks against the SriLankan press have lead to concern that campaigning political parties are…
… everything they can to help.”
Earlier this year IFJ member unions responded generously to a special assistance fund established to help journalists in Indonesia and SriLanka affected by the Asian tsunami.
“This is another case where journalists are not only reporting on a disaster, they are sadly among the victims. They do great credit…
…rnational Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, has condemned a series of violent attacks against a SriLankan newspaper and its staff that has already killed one person.
In the latest act of violence, two Sudaroli parliamentary journalists, V Puththirasigamani and Arumugam…
… and rights organisations across the globe that participated in the Day of Action.
Organisations from countries including India, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Pakistan, SriLanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, Germany and Norway, sent letters of protest to King Gyanendra, held public rallies, published articles and…
… arrested Subramanium Ramesh, a Tamil language correspondent for the daily Veerakesaree, under emergency laws. Representatives of the Free Media Movement, an IFJ affiliate, in SriLanka have been unable to gain any further information or details surrounding the arrest.
"The IFJ is concerned that the arrest is not adhering to the rule of law in Sri…
… has condemned the killing of journalist Relangi Selvarajah and her husband on August 12, 2005, who were shot dead by unknown gunmen at around 1pm in Bambalapitiya, Colombo SriLanka.
Relangi Selvarajah had previously worked as a TV presenter with the SriLanka Rupavahini Cooperation (SLRC) and was working as a journalist with SriLanka Broadcasting…
… of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries, today expressed grave concerns about the President of SriLanka's threat to use the Official Secrets Act against a journalist.
According to newspaper reports, at a closed meeting of 1,000 military and police officials in Colombo on…
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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the conduct of SriLanka's deputy minister, who verbally threatened journalists and media owners on July 25.
In particular, Deputy Minister Mervin Silva used abusive language and threatened to expel from SriLanka the owner of two leading television companies - Sirasa TV and Swarnawahini.
The…
… brought together leaders of journalists' organisations from: Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, SriLanka, Taiwan and Thailand.
The meeting called on the IFJ to co-ordinate international solidarity actions over the coming months calling for improvements in press freedom and…
… in Pakistan and the cases brought against journalists in Tamil Nadu in India, the booklet is a timely resource for the Asia-Pacific region. It contains case studies from SriLanka and Ghana, two countries that have successfully campaigned to have defamation struck off the criminal codes.
“Journalists are facing increasingly hostile…
…
237/22, Wijeya Kumaratunga Mawatha
Colombo 05
SriLanka
Telephone: +94-2-809.467 or +94-777-312-457
Fax: +94-4-714-460 or +94-280-9467
E-mail: fmm@diamond.lanka.net
President: Victor Ivan
International Contact and Spokesperson: Sunanda Deshapriya
Status: Full Member
… running Sandhaanu, an Internet e-mail magazine critical of the government. They were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. While Lufthee managed to flee while on treatment in SriLanka, Mohamed Zaki and Ahmed Didi continue to remain under house arrest. They were given life imprisonment which was later reduced to 15 years jail.
During her imprisonment,…
… Himal Khabarpatrika, was stopped at Tribhuvan International Airport and prevented from boarding in a flight to New Delhi to attend a regional conference in Colombo, SriLanka on Friday 6 May.
Dixit is believed to be the first person to have been barred from leaving the country after the state of emergency was lifted in late April. Dixit was…
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The International Federation of Journalists says the brutal murder of respected SriLankan journalist Dharmaretnam Sivaram, who was kidnapped and shot dead by armed men yesterday morning, was “tragic and senseless” and would fuel further violence in the divided island.
Sivaram, a newspaper columnist and editor of the English-language website TamilNet, was closely…
… capital Banda Aceh, lost 51 of its 193 staff in the disaster. In total, 70 media workers in Aceh are missing presumed dead after their houses were reduced to rubble.
In SriLanka, journalists along the tsunami-ravaged north and east coasts have lost their livelihoods. The ocean swept away their computers, digital cameras, tape recorders and mobile…
… to rebuild the AJI structure for media support in Aceh.”
The IFJ says that support for its disaster appeal, which is also providing help for journalists and media staff in SriLanka and other countries affected, had come directly from journalists’ unions in Australia, Greece, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Slovakia, Ireland,…
… that the reconstruction effort in the region also leads to media reform.
IFJ officials are travelling to the region in the coming days to support local affiliates in India, SriLanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia who have been hardest hit by the disaster.
“Journalists’ unions are, like other groups in civil society, joining the general relief…
… families as quickly as possible.”
In a message to all of its members in more than 100 countries, the IFJ said that the Federation was in contact with its affiliates in India, SriLanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia in an effort to assess the impact of the catastrophe upon the media community.
“We know already that our colleagues in Indonesia have…
… for the killing of journalists and media staff as two new violent deaths were recorded in Africa and Asia, bringing the death toll to 120 in the year so far.
In Colombo, SriLanka, Lal Jayasundara, a 20-year-old photojournalist for the Wijeya newspaper group, was one of two people killed six days ago by a bomb in an attack on an entertainment…
… Rico
Romania
Russia
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
SriLanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United…
… with the network was made by representatives of journalists' trade unions, press freedom organisations, journalists and experts from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, SriLanka and Bangladesh at the second biennial colloquium on human rights and conflict reporting in South Asia held in Kathmandu, Nepal, from September 26-28.
The colloquium also…
… global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, has welcomed the decision of the United Nations Human Rights Commission finding against the government of SriLanka in its use of criminal defamation against a SriLankan editor.
“This decision should be another nail in the coffin for criminal defamation. The days when journalists can…
… their journalistic duty, free from fear of arrest or physical violence and the relevant authorities must recognise the important role that journalists play.
Colombo SriLanka, 23 August 2004
Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Indonesia
All India Newspaper Employees Federation
Association of Taiwan Journalists
Bangladesh Journalists Rights…
… judged by senior journalists from South Asia. The prizes were awarded by Christopher Warren, President, IFJ and Wouter Wilton, representative of the European Commission in SriLanka.
The Winners:
Sweta Ramanujan (India), "Mill on the Loss",The Indian Express November 30, 2003 [Print/Online-English]
Subrata Basu (India, Bengali), "Nishabdo Biplab…
… four years jail each if found guilty. Prosecutors are arguing for a two-year term each. The IFJ has flown in two international legal observers – one from Australia and one from SriLanka - to oversee the proceedings in court today.
IFJ member organisations in Europe, North America and other regional centres are calling on Indonesia to remove defamation as…
…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, has today condemned recent actions by the SriLankan police threatening freedom of expression in SriLanka.
“It is the responsibility of the police to work to protect journalists’ rights and to act in the interests of a free press, not…
