Parliamentarian threatens online journalists
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 7 May 2009 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Parliamentarian threatens online journalists, 7 May 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a07cce51e.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders is concerned about the telephone threats that have been made against reporter Santha Wijesuirya of the Lankaenews website and his editor, Bennet Rupasingha, by parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, the leader of the National Freedom Front.
Weerawansa reportedly called Wijesuirya on his mobile phone yesterday evening to complain about one of his stories and threatened to teach him "a good lesson." Wijesuirya took the threats seriously and alerted the police. "I fear for my life," he told Reporters Without Borders.
The press freedom organisation urges the interior ministry to take the necessary steps to guarantee Wijesuirya's security. It also calls for a police investigation into Weerawansa's threats.
