Jaffna Journalists Boycott Deputy Media Minister’s Event, Demand Justice for Attacks on Media
Journalists in Jaffna on Friday boycotted an event attended by Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne and staged a protest demanding justice for murdered journalists, attacks on media institutions, and violence against media personnel.
The protest was held in front of the Jaffna District Secretariat, where journalists called on the government to conduct credible and impartial investigations into unresolved cases involving the killing of journalists, attacks on media organizations, and other acts of violence targeting the media.
Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, who is on a two-day official visit to Jaffna, is scheduled to participate in several official events during the visit. Earlier in the day, the Deputy Minister was expected to attend a media seminar organized at the Jaffna District Secretariat.
However, local journalists chose to boycott the discussion with the Deputy Minister and instead participated in the protest, stating that accountability and justice for past attacks on the media must be prioritized.
According to those involved in the protest, only a small number of journalists representing state-owned media institutions attended the Deputy Minister’s event, with claims that they participated under institutional pressure.
The demonstration highlighted the continuing demands of journalists in the North for justice, accountability, and stronger protections for press freedom in Sri Lanka.
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