CPJ joins call for accountability in attacks on journalists in Sri Lanka

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has joined the Centre for Justice and Accountability in calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to take action against impunity in attacks on journalists in Sri Lanka.

In a report released on Wednesday, the Centre for Justice and Accountability, with support from CPJ, outlined the Sri Lankan government’s systematic and deadly campaign to silence journalists, repress press freedom, and perpetuate impunity for these attacks.

The report details the alleged involvement of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in a campaign designed to target journalists critical of the government and its security forces, and the subsequent lack of justice and accountability. The attacks against journalists include the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunge, the abduction and beating of Keith Noyahr, the assault on Upali Tennakoon, and the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda. 

The report calls on members of the Human Rights Council to implement recommendations made by the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including passing a resolution that establishes a dedicated mechanism to collect and preserve evidence to support future accountability processes, provides enhanced monitoring of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, and prioritises support to civil society initiatives. It also calls on the government of Sri Lanka to immediately cease harassment, surveillance, and attacks on journalists and law enforcement officials investigating crimes against journalists and calls on the government to conduct independent and impartial investigations into past and current attacks on journalists and hold perpetrators to account.  

CPJ has documented recent attacks against journalists in Sri Lanka, as well as an environment of fear and self-censorship as a result of ongoing impunity.

From 22 February to 23 March Sri Lanka’s human rights record will be reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in its 46th Regular Session. The session comes at a critical point for accountability in Sri Lanka. For over a decade, impunity for atrocity crimes has prevailed. Meanwhile, violence against journalists and government critics has surged since Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to power in November 2019. In January, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued urgent recommendations for the international community to take action to address ongoing accountability failures in order to prevent future violations.

Prior to the Council session, CJA, with input from the Committee to Protect Journalists, released a report documenting the Sri Lankan government’s systematic and deadly campaign to silence journalists, repress freedom of expression, and perpetuate impunity. While Gotabaya Rajapaksa was Secretary of Defence from 2005 to 2015, dozens of journalists were killed, tortured, abducted, or disappeared, including The Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon, and political cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda. These attacks have been linked to a Sri Lankan military intelligence division known as the Tripoli Platoon, under the command of then-Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as well as a team of special operatives that used white vans to kidnap and murder journalists. For over a decade, the UN has called for accountability and the Government of Sri Lanka has promised to take action. However, those accused of orchestrating these attacks remain in power, including Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is now president. Since his return to power, individuals investigating attacks on journalists in Sri Lanka have been arrested or forced to flee the country. Journalists are once more forced to choose between exile and self-censorship.

In the first week of its 46th Session, the Human Rights Council is scheduled to hold an Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on Sri Lanka. Among the High Commissioner’s recommendations to the Human Rights Council is enhanced monitoring of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the creation of an independent mechanism to collect and preserve evidence to support future accountability processes, and prioritised support to civil society initiatives aimed at supporting victims and their families.

The full report is available online at http://cja.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021.02.09-CJA_CPJ-Attacks-against-journalists-in-Sri-Lanka.pdf