The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Aruna has been summoned to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement concerning a news item published under the headline, “Grama Niladhari certificate not enough, approval of the heads of the public committees is required to obtain police reports.”
The notice was issued by the Assistant Superintendent of Police on behalf of the Director of the CID, following a complaint regarding the above news item. The summoning is part of an investigation into the reported matter.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised concerns in Parliament about the news item, presenting supporting information that confirmed the authenticity of the report. Opposition MPs further cited examples from their respective institutions to validate the claims made in the article.
Despite the parliamentary acknowledgment of the report’s accuracy, Sajith Premadasa issued a special statement today opposing the summoning of the newspaper editor to the CID. He stated:
“I reiterate what I stated in Parliament. The fact presented, with two specific examples, that the approval of the Civil Security Committee Chairmen is required to obtain police security clearance certificates, reflects the true situation. Despite this, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who stood for unrestricted media freedom while in opposition, has now taken steps during his rule to summon newspaper editors to the CID. This is a clear attempt to suppress media freedom. I strongly condemn this despicable act.”
The incident has sparked a broader debate about media freedom and government accountability, with many calling for respect of journalistic independence in reporting matters of public interest.
