Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called firm sanctions on four Sri Lankan soldiers responsible for assaulting a Tamil journalist who was taking a photo of a Mullivaikkal road sign.
The four soldiers beat the journalist with palmyra sticks wrapped in barbed wires and damaged his motorcycle. Responding to press coverage of the assault, Sri Lanka's military has released a statement claiming that the incident was fabricated by "various social media platforms, largely with vested interests".
The military alleged that the journalist's injuries were exaggerated and that he was not beaten but rather fell on a fence with barbed wires.
On Twitter, RSF maintained the need for sanctions and respect for all journalists in Sri Lanka stating:
[2/2] The village was the site of a massacre of #Tamil civilians in 2009 and the media are forbidden to go there. #RSF demands firm sanctions against the soldiers responsible for this intolerable violence, and respect for the work of all journalists in #SriLanka.
— RSF (@RSF_inter) November 29, 2021
The call to respect press freedom has also been shared by Mullaitivu Press Club which has condemned the ongoing harassment of journalists in Sri Lanka.
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