Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the present government in 2015 put a definitive end to crimes against the media and that since then there have been no journalist abductions, murders, attacks, or intimidation.
 
He made these remarks delivering the keynote address at the UNESCO Seminar on ‘Reinforcing Regional Cooperation to Promote Freedom of Expression and the Rule of Law in Asia through Ending Impunity for Crimes Against the Journalists’, held this morning (4) at Taj Samudra, Colombo.
 
Pointing out that many journalists were attacked murdered, and harassed during the previous regime, the Prime Minister assured that there is no place for such crimes in the present democracy.
 
“We welcome the UN Plan of Action process to protect the safety of journalists and we continue to strengthen the democracy in Sri Lanka, we’ll ensure the Plan of Action’s smooth implementation,” he was quoted as saying by Govt Info Department.
 
He said that they were giving people back their rights and now they have a free media. “Since coming to government, we have transformed this country. We are one of the leading democracies across the region. We are committed to build economic strength and bringing development to our people.”
 
“I am proud to say that we have achieved great global recognition for the steps we have taken in only two years,” the Premier said adding that those who are responsible for all cases of attacks and harassments on journalists would be brought to the justice.