Security Situation of the
Sri Lankan Mass Media
and Media Personnel
Sanjana Hattotuwa

Media freedom?
14 journalists/media workers have been killed since
2005
7 have been abducted
More than 25 have been forced to leave Sri Lanka
15 journalists and media workers were arrested
Iqbal Athas has stopped writing altogether because of
sustained hate speech campaigns openly conducted by
the Ministry of Defence

Media freedom?
15 journalists have been arrested by police
The Government has shut down entire media
establishments for spurious reasons
Government Ministers repeatedly and openly verbally
and physically attack journalists
J.S. Tissanayagam, Jaseharan and his partner
Valarmathi has been in detention Terrorist
Investigation Department (TID) since 7th March
without being charged