The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is encouraged to learn that Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has ordered an inquiry into the alleged political victimisation and interdiction of eight media workers in the state-run broadcaster, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).

According to IFJ affiliates in Sri Lanka, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court heard the petition from eight employees claiming a severe infringement of their fundamental rights, and directed a former judicial officer to conduct an inquiry and file a report within two weeks.

Kanchana Marasinghe and seven other SLRC staff claim that they suffered verbal and physical abuse at the hands of the corporation chairman and some of his associates in the days before Sri Lanka’s presidential election on January 26. This followed the eight’s insistence that SLRC comply with guidelines laid down by the Election Commissioner on fair coverage for all candidates contesting the election.

Independent observers have pointed out that despite the strictures of the empowered authority designated by the Election Commissioner to monitor media coverage and an order from the Supreme Court that the guidelines be honoured, SLRC’s coverage was grossly biased toward the incumbent president who was contesting for a second term.

Following the election, the eight petitioners were placed under suspension and an order of interdiction issued against them.

“We fully support the eight media workers in their efforts to support the state-owned broadcaster’s compliance with the Election Commissioner’s guidelines,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.

“It is part of the obligation of a public broadcaster that it should represent all sides fairly, especially in a matter so vital to the sustenance of the democratic process as elections. The media workers were well within their rights to insist that SLRC conform to norms of fairness.”

The petition before the Supreme Court cites the SLRC and three of its senior officials as respondents. It pleads for an immediate order reversing the interdiction of the eight petitioners and for restraining senior management from harassing them and broadcasting any information that may falsely implicate them in wrongdoing.

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

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries