Colleague of Missing Journalist Under Threat in Sri Lanka

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is alarmed at reports of a home invasion and attempted abduction of Mawbima reporter Disnendra Perera at his Colombo home in Sri Lanka on May 31.

 

According to local media reports, Perera was not harmed in the incident. His mother, who was at home at the time of the attack, has reportedly made an official complaint to the Piliyandala police, who denied police involvement in the raid.

 

Perera, a close colleague of Lanka-e-News journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, who has been missing since January 24, had previously received death threats from unknown people demanding he give them a file of documents they claimed Eknaligoda had given him.

 

Both Perera and Eknaligoda have ties to opposition parties in Sri Lanka. Perera was a former media secretary to Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) leader Mangala Samaraweera. Eknaligoda had published several articles in support of defeated New Democratic Front presidential candidate and former head of Sri Lanka’s military, Sarath Fonseka.

 

“Reports of the attempted abduction of Disnendra Perera is of grave concern to the IFJ, especially in light of our deep concerns for the welfare of his friend and colleague Prageeth Eknaligoda,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.

 

“Eknaligoda’s disappearance in January underscores the dangers that Sri Lankan journalists face in the current political climate. Authorities must conduct a full and transparent investigation into the disappearance of Eknaligoda and the attack on Perera’s home.”

 

Meanwhile on June 7 a Colombo magistrate ordered senior Sunday Leader journalist Frederica Jansz to produce her notes of a pre-election interview with Fonseka at a hearing scheduled for June 21.

 

Jansz’s appearance in court follows her solicitor’s refusal to produce the notebook, on the grounds that Jansz had already given photocopies of the document to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police.

 

The investigation into Jansz’s interview with Fonseka is especially worrying following comments by Sri Lankan Defence Minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to the BBC on June 6 when he called for the closure of the Sunday Leader and suggested Fonseka could be hanged as a traitor. Fonseka has been held in custody since February 8, after his defeat in the country’s presidential election and subsequent arrest on charges relating to an alleged coup attempt.

 

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

 

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide