Director General of Government Information, Harsha Bandara, has written to the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) calling for an investigation into the alleged obstruction and forcible removal of journalist Fazeer Mohamed from the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate’s Court by police officers.
Fazeer Mohamed, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association (SLYJA) and a long-time court reporter for the Satahan organisation, was covering a case involving allegations of police torture and a robbery. The case centres around claims that police officers assaulted a jewellery shop owner and stole his belongings, accusing him of involvement in a robbery at the Avenra Gardens Hotel in Negombo.
Fazeer, who was the only journalist present at the time, entered the court following standard procedure and with proper media identification. While reporting, he was questioned by a court sergeant and later ordered to leave. When he continued his duties, a police officer forcibly removed him from the courtroom. His mobile phone was confiscated, allegedly under suspicion of recording, although it was inactive.
In response to the incident, Fazeer and the SLYJA lodging complaints with the Judicial Service Commission, the Chief Justice, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), and other relevant bodies.
Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, DG Harsha Bandara has urged the Acting IGP to launch a formal inquiry and take appropriate action based on the findings.
