Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Lankaenews journalists 'not guilty'



Courts in Sri Lanka have acquitted two journalists as police failed to provide any evidence to prosecute them.

Gangodawila magistrate ordered the police to release Sandaruwan Senadheera and Bennet Rupasinghe, the editor and the news editor of Lanakaenews web newspaper.

The pair was arrested after they informed police chief Jayantha Wickramantha, media minister, presidential secretariat and other media personnel of the abduction of Poddala Jayantha, earlier this year.

'Serious injustice'

They were charged by the police of failing to disclose vital information related to the incident.

Mr. Jayantha, the then general secretary of Sri Lanka Working Media Association (SLWMA) was abducted and tortured by unknown assailants.

Police are yet to arrest anyone related to the incident.

Manjula Pathiraja, the counsel appeared for the accused told BBC Sandeshaya that the arrest of two journalists was a 'serious injustice' by the police.

"The only crime these two journalists have committed was trying their best to save a life of a fellow journalist," he said.

Mr. Pathiraja added that it is the duty of the public to rise against what he called police injustice.

© BBC Sinhala
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