Press Statement

Sri Lanka: January is black – Still no justice

22 Jan, 2023

During the last decades, all citizens of Sri Lanka witnessed abductions, violent assaults, and disappearances of journalists who raised their voices, demanding democracy, press freedom, law enforcement against corruption, and justice for attacking media organizations.

Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association (SLWJA) has organized a commemoration protest asking the justice for all forms of criminalities unleashed against the journalists and the media organizations. The protest will be held on January 27 at Viharamahadevi park in Colombo, at 04.00 pm.

January is symbolically named black January by journalism societies in Sri Lanka, because all criminalities against journalists happened in the month of January.

Journalism societies, trade unions, the representatives of civil organizations, and journalists will participate in this commemoration. All of the participants have determined to make a strong protest in concern of injustice against the journalists and media of Sri Lanka.

We intend to build a monument in the future for those victimized journalists during the last decades. The model of that monument will be displayed during the protest. Further, we will demonstrate the placards with photos of the persecuted journalists and media organizations.

SLWJA believes that the biggest threat to media freedom in Sri Lanka is the lack of justice for the crimes committed against journalists and media organizations.

Duminda Sampath 

President

Sri Lanka working journalist association

Written By

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association

Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association 276/3 Pradeepa Mawathe Maligawathe Colombo 10, Sri Lanka Telephone: +94 1 429 248 Fax: +94 1 429 240

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