URGENT ACTION

Outspoken female journalist uNder threat

Journalist and media rights activist, Dileesha Abeysundera is in danger after a gang of unidentified people threatened her and tried to forcefully gain access to her property in Sri Lanka.

On 28 September, at around 11.45pm, several unidentified people travelling in white vans attempted to break into Dileesha Abeysundera’s compound in the Borella district of the capital city, Colombo. The gang repeatedly banged on her gate whilst calling out her name. When she was asked who they were, ensuring that the gate was still locked and the door only slightly ajar, they said they were looking for Dileesha Abeysundeera of the Sunday Leader newspaper. She told them that they had the wrong house and closed the door. The gang loitered for a few minutes until poor weather drove them away.

Dileesha Abeysundera is an award winning journalist for the Sri Lankan newspaper, Irundia (part of The Leader Group) that is known for its highly critical coverage of the Sri Lankan government. She is also the Deputy Secretary of the Free Media Movement and Secretary of the National Forum for Journalists in Sri Lanka.

Dileesha Abeysundera believes that the gang threatened her because of her work campaigning for media rights. She had organised and attended a meeting on 28 September, calling for the abolition of what she has publically stated as the ‘draconian provisions in the Press Council Act.’ The government has repeatedly defended the Press Council Act which has been used to violate the right to freedom of expression.

In Sri Lanka, at least 14 media workers have been killed since 2006. In June, Poddala Jayantha of the Sri Lankan Working Journalists Association was abducted and severely beaten by a group of armed men. Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was abducted on 27 August by a group who also arrived in a white van. White vans have been used in many abductions and enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka particularly since 2006, when state agents and paramilitary groups, that are allied to the government, stepped up attacks on critics of the government. Prageeth Ekneligoda was forcibly bundled into the van, blindfolded, handcuffed and taken to an unknown destination before being released the following day.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in English, Sinhalese, Tamil or your own language calling on Sri Lankan authorities;

• to ensure the safety of Dileesha Abeysundera;

• to investigate the intimidation of Dileesha Abeysundera and attacks on other Sri Lankan journalists and media workers;

• to abolish or reform legislations that are being used to suppress the right to freedom of expression and put an end to the climate of impunity that has allowed a long campaign, by state agents and paramilitary groups, of intimidation and violence against independent journalists in Sri Lanka

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 18 NOVEMBER 2009 TO: