CPJ, partners urge new Sri Lankan president to protect press freedom

Radio Free never takes money from corporate interests, which ensures our publications are in the interest of people, not profits. Radio Free provides free and open-source tools and resources for anyone to use to help better inform their communities. Learn more and get involved at radiofree.org

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday, January 13 joined 24 civil society organizations in urging recently elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to uphold press freedom.

CPJ has documented a persistent pattern of impunity for murders and attacks against journalists in Sri Lanka, including dozens that occurred during and in the aftermath of the country’s 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.

Read the full letter here.


This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.

Citations

[1] play ➤ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/15/sri-lankas-leftist-ruling-coalition-headed-for-landslide-election-win[2] CPJ joins call for accountability in attacks on journalists in Sri Lanka - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/2021/02/cpj-joins-call-for-accountability-in-attacks-on-journalists-in-sri-lanka/[3] New details raise questions about whether Sri Lankan president was complicit in the killing of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/2022/06/new-details-raise-questions-about-whether-sri-lankan-president-was-complicit-in-the-killing-of-journalist-lasantha-wickrematunge/[4] Sri Lankan journalist narrowly escapes kidnap after crime reports - Committee to Protect Journalists ➤ https://cpj.org/2025/01/sri-lankan-journalist-narrowly-escapes-kidnap-after-crime-reports/[5] ➤ https://cpj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Joint-Letter-to-President-Dissanayake.pdf