Colombo: Insisting that there was no move to
curb media freedom in the country, Sri Lankan government on Wednesday
asked the Fourth Estate not to behave in a manner that would
be harmful to norms of democracy.
The Sri Lankan media has been given "unprecedented"
freedom by the government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa has
emphasised that he should be informed before any legal action
is to be taken against journalists, said Lakshman Yapa
Abeywardana, the non-Cabinet Minister of Media.
The President in his capacity as the Cabinet Minister of
Media and Information yesterday gave instructions in this
regard to the Inspector General of Police, Mahinda Balasuriya,
he told reporters.
Abeywardana pointed out that the freedom of press was a
significant feature in any democracy practised around the
world and the media should not behave in a manner that would
be harmful to norms of democracy.
It was the responsibility of the media to exercise that
freedom in a meaningful manner, he said.
The Minister said the Sri Lankan government has given the
"fullest" freedom to the media and had no intention of curbing
it.
He said the Government has not taken any undemocratic
measures that would restrict the media freedom.
The Minister's comments came a day after the Chief Editor
of the pro-opposition 'Lanka' newspaper, Chandana
Sirimalwatte, was ordered to be released from police custody
by a court.
Sirimalwatte was detained recently by the CID in
connection with a report that appeared in his newspaper.
The Sri Lankan President had earlier assured support
to the detained journalist and called for measures to
arrange for his bail if the situation so warranted.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 18:29