Media rights groups going up in arms against the Attorney General’s recent recommendations on releasing three key suspects of the journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge murder, urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today to honour the promises he made on election stage by an NPP government to probe multiple journalist killings and abductions.
The Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Union (FMETU) and Young Journalists Association – Sri Lanka (YJA-SL) issued series of statements condemning the AG’s recent letter addressed to the Director CID indicating no further legal action pursed against three key suspects of the Lasantha murder case.
Issuing a statement undersigned by its Secretary Hana Ibrahim and Convener Lasantha De Silva the FMM said, deeply alarming development has emerged with Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe’s letter to the CID, as ‘Black January’ month of remembrance and rallying cry for justice for the brutal murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and the wave of attacks on media professionals comes to a close.
“Issuing a letter to the CID to the effect that legal proceedings against three suspects in Lasantha’s murder will be halted thus paving the way for their release. This shocking move raises serious concerns about accountability and the rule of law,” it stated.
The SLWJA in its statement undersigned by President Duminda Sampath and Secretary Ranga Bandaranayake requested President Dissanayake to honour the promises he made on two election stages of penalizing those who responsible for grave crimes against journalists and not to influence the authority of the independent judiciary in carrying out justice to such victims.
The FMETU in its statement undersigned by President Dharmasiri Lankapeli and National Organiser Tharindu Uduwaragedara raised grave concerns about an Attorney General’s behaviour in a government that received a huge mandate to punish those who are responsible for the atrocities committed in the media.
Meanwhile, YJA-SL issuing its statement undersigned by President Tharindu Jayawardena stated its is questionable how Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe issuing a letter showing no interest to pursue further legal action against three Lasantha murder suspects, just days within the killing of Lasantha Wickrematunge was commemorated in ‘Black January’.
Meanwhile, FMM Convener Lasantha De Silva told the media today that they have sent a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake requesting his immediate intervention in the matter.
AG Parinda Ranasinghe in his letter dated on January 27, 2025 to the Director CID stated that the prosecution does not intend to pursue further legal action against the three suspects; Staff Sergeant Prem Ananda Udalagama of Army Intelligence Unit, former OIC Crimes Mt. Lavinia Police Sub Inspector Tissasiri Sugathapala and retired DIG Prasanna Nanayakkara, in connection with the magisterial inquiry case number B/92/2009.
