Young Journalists’ Association raises red flags for media freedom 

It is a serious matter to investigate the manner in which a journalist received information and that it would be a major obstacle in the advancement of the career of journalists, Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association (YJA) states.

The union has stated this in a letter to IGP Chandana Wickramaratne regarding an investigation into an article published on news website Rata.lk and its editor being summoned to appear before the police tomorrow (17). The association also points out that conducting such an investigation is also an impediment to the public’s right to information.

The Director of the Karapitiya Hospital, Galle and a group of doctors have lodged several complaints with the Galle Police Headquarters against the editor of the news website Rata.lk on May 25th 2021 regarding an article published on the website.

The Director of the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle has lodged a police complaint requesting an inquiry into how the website received a letter exchanged internally at the hospital, the YJA states.

The YJA points out that any citizen including journalists have the right to point out wrongdoings and criticize shortcomings, and that hospital directors or doctors have no right to diminish that right.

The association emphasizes that the director of the hospital should have conducted an internal investigation into the allegations made by the journalist and rectified the shortcomings pointed out by the journalist and that the right to information of the people and the freedom of the journalists are intertwined.

Therefore, the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association urges the IGP not to interfere with the work of the journalist in the investigation of these complaints, not to infringe on his fundamental rights protected by the Constitution, and to ensure the safety of the journalist.

A copy of the letter has been sent to the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) requesting an inquiry into the violation of fundamental rights and to the Chairman and Secretary of the Sri Lanka Public Service Commission (SLSC) requesting an inquiry into the role of doctors and hospital directors.