Journalists arrested on suspicion - Minister

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Irangika Range

Information and Media and Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told Parliament yesterday the Government has not taken any move to suppress or restrict media freedom in the country. The Minister was responding to a special statement made by Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera.

The Minister said the question raised by the Chief Opposition Whip contains two incidents which are connected to journalists and another incident which is not relevant to media. No incident about a journalist of Lanka 'E' news has been reported.

The Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu had been questioned at the airport by the Security Forces to establish his identity.

The Security Forces wanted to establish the identity of Dr. Saravanamuttu and Sunanda Deshapriya following a statement given to the Security Forces by a person named Sathiyawelpillai. The Security Forces have informed that they obtained a statement from Dr. Saravanamuttu.

The Minister commenting on the incident of Lanka newspaper journalists, said those journalists had been arrested due to suspicious behaviour on their part.

N.P. Steps have been taken to produce them before courts. These journalists had entered an estate at Deniyaya area belonging to a person called Thushara Ranawaka without permission. They had attempted to question the labourers who worked in that estate. Therefore, Deniyaya police had arrested these journalists following a complaint made by the labourers to police. Those arrested include a journalist of Lanka newspaper, an another another person who had possessed a media ID of Vee FM radio channel. In addition, an the person had also been with them.

The Minister said this estate owner does not hold any post in the Government. The President and the Defence Secretary visit this location regularly.

However, these journalists have made contradictory statements to police when compared the statements made by them before and after their arrest. Arrangements have been made to take legal action against these journalists who were arrested on September 2.

"This incident will not cause any impact to suppress or restrict the media freedom," the Minister added.