Editors Guild condemns Embilipitiya incident

The Editors Guild in a strongly-worded statement have vehemently condemned the recent incident where a police officer attached to the Embilipitiya Magistrtate Court had forcibly confiscated the notebooks of several journalists who were on duty.

"Provincial correspondents were performing their legitimate professional duties in the court room," the statement notes. "At no stage did the presiding judge request the journalist to leave or refrain from taking down notes, there were also no sign of boards barring journalists from covering the proceedings in an open court."

However, the notebooks were later returned but with the relevant pages ripped off. "That the Magisterial inquiry relating to the conduct of the police in the death of the young man compounds the wrongful action of the Court sergeant who we believe was acting on the orders of his superior officers who were also in court."

The Editors Guild requests the Government to hold an immediate and impartial inquiry into the matter as it impinges on media freedom and the right of journalists to practise their profession.