Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Reporters Without Borders.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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A Press Release from Reporters Without Borders forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
(Hong Kong, August 11, 2010)
Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières
English: http://en.rsf.org/sri-lanka-where-is-prageeth-10-08-2010,38113.html
Français: http://fr.rsf.org/sri-lanka-ou-est-prageeth-10-08-2010,38112.html
Two hundred days have passed since Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda disappeared. Prageeth, who regularly contributed to LankaeNews web site, went missing 24th January 2010. Prageeth is a political analyst and a cartoonist known for his outspoken views critical of the government of Sri Lanka.
Since Prageeth’s disappearance his wife, along with media rights and human rights groups, has continuously urged the government of Sri Lanka to reveal his whereabouts. The Cartoonists Rights Network International acknowledged her relentless campaign by bestowing a Special Recognition award for her spirited challenge to the Sri Lankan government to account for her disappeared husband.
While the police and other authorities have failed in providing any information that leads to finding Prageeth, they haven’t taken any steps to counter or investigate freely circulated disinformation that he is in hiding. Whatever took place on the night of 24th January 2010, it is the duty of Sri Lanka’s government, led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to find where Prageeth is and inform his wife Sandya and the world. The inability to do so inevitably affirms Sandya’s repeated assertion that she holds the government of Sri Lanka responsible for the disappearance of her husband.
Therefore, on the 12th of August 2010, the International Day of Solidarity for Prageeth, standing beside Sandya, we, the undersigned organizations and individuals, call upon the government of Sri Lanka to fulfil our reasonable demand.
Find journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda and give him back to us!
Cartoonists Rights Network International
Committee to Protect Journalists
International Media Support
Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka
Media Legal Defence Initiative
Reporters Without Borders
The International Federation of Journalists
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
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