The World Broadcasting Unions – WBU, the global coordinating body of broadcasting unions, has denounced the savage attack on MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd journalists by Sri Lanka Police and security officials on July 9th.
The World Broadcasting Unions includes the world’s largest and most significant unions of broadcast journalists. Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, Arab States Broadcasting Union, African Union of Broadcasting, Caribbean Broadcasting Union, European Broadcasting Union, International Association of Broadcasters, and North American Broadcasters Association are among them. The WBU was established in 1922 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
The WBU said it is closely monitoring Sri Lanka’s response to journalist violence and media intimidation.
The WBU requested the government to appoint an impartial commission to investigate the July 9 incident and to guarantee police and security do not intimidate, harass, or abuse journalists or anybody associated with their employers.
The WBU said the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission recognised the unlawful assault on media professionals by police and security officials, confirming that the journalists posed no threat to police and that the assault was a major breach of a free media’s rights.
Some members of MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd’s senior management were randomly questioned by police about that day’s news story and the arson attack on the Prime Minister’s residence that followed.
The WBU defended MTV’s parent firm, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union-member Capital Maharaja Group.
