The Inspector General of Police today issued a special circular to police heads regarding the issuance of a directive preventing officers from continuously interfering with individuals recording videos in public spaces.

IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya stated in the circular, “the public has the right to video the activities of Police in public places and therefore, the Police officers must not hinder such attempts.”

The IGP’s special circular followed public outrage over the arrest of a youth who recorded a defender vehicle involved in an accident near Wariyapola, which led to police allegations that he was obstructing their duties. The defender SUV, allegedly belonging to former minister Lohan Ratwatte, was in an accident on the Anuradhapura-Padeniya road last Saturday (26), causing significant damage to a bus halt and the vehicle.

A widely shared video on social media captured a police officer, who identified himself as the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Wariyapola Police Traffic Division, threatening the young man recording the incident. This conduct sparked a public uproar, and during the weekly Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday (29), Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath condemned the behavior of the police in this specific incident.

The IGP’s circular clarified that “videotaping police conduct in public places has not been barred in any law of the country. Therefore, the heads should inform about this to all the officials that come under their purview.”

“When an offence is committed and it was videotaped, unedited footages can be used as evidence in a court case. Also, if the misconduct of police officers are recorded, such instances can be used to correct the misconducts of the police officers as well,” the circular stated.

“However, if someone edit such footages and release them in a way far from truth and to distort the truth and damage the reputation of police, actions can be taken against such persons,” the circular concluded.