Sri Lanka: journalist investigated over social media content
NUJ calls for an end to action by authorities who summoned Tharindu Uduwaragedara over his YouTube channel.
The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists and its Sri Lankan affiliates in calling for a halt to an investigation of Tharindu Uduwaragedara.
In June, Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) summoned Tharindu and accused him of creating videos that questioned government transparency and accountability, including on the ongoing economic turbulence in the country.
A former executive member of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association and previous president of the Sri Lanka Young Journalist Association, Tharindu has filed a fundamental rights petition to the Supreme Court, to prevent his arrest by the CID.
The NUJ joins the Free Media Movement and the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, in urging authorities to drop the investigation into Tharindu and allow press freedom to thrive.
The IFJ said:
“During the political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka, media workers are performing a vital duty to inform the public, yet they have continued to face an onslaught of legal restrictions, arbitrary arrests, and media rights violations.
“The IFJ condemns the overreach of the CID in targeting journalists and calls for the investigation against Tharindu Uduwaragedara to be dropped.”