'Stop trying to suppress Sirasa' - Opposition Leader tells President

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for an immediate end to media suppression.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday (1), Sajith Premadasa said the government must immediately stop the suppression.
 
"When Keheliya Rambukwella was the Media Minister, I warned them NOT to suppress the Sirasa Media, as they were drafting plans to do so. That plan was suspended," said the Opposition Leader.

He said even today there are attempts being made to suppress the Sirasa Media Network, which was instrumental in introducing programs such as Gammadda strengthening the poor people of the country.

He reminded the President that when the former was the Prime Minister in 2002 he removed the Criminal Defamation Law.

The Opposition Leader requested the President to end the suppression of Sirasa Media, and stop preparing plans to terminate the license of Sirasa Media.

"This will send a very wrong message to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2022," warned the Opposition Leader, adding that the use of the PTA also poses a similar situation.

Recalling the incident where several Sirasa (News 1st) Journalists were brutally assaulted, the Opposition Leader questioned the delay in probing the attack.

He reminded the President that it was the Sirasa Media Network that at one time supported to move forward in his political career.

"The suppression of the Sirasa Media, Social Media, Journalists must end and pave the way for media freedom," stressed the Opposition Leader.