English language journalist assaulted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 13:54 GMT]
Sandun Jayasekara, a senior journalist of the Daily Mirror, the English daily published from Colombo, is said to have been assaulted Wednesday morning by some security officers who are members of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on security duty at the Maharagama cancer hospital. The journalist went to the hospital with an official media invitation to cover an event President Mahinda Rajapaksa was attending Wednesday morning in the hospital. The matter was reported to the new Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella immediately, sources in Colombo said.

Security officers did not allow Sandun Jayasekara in the first place to enter the hospital premises to cover the event despite the official media invitation.

Mr. Jayasekara had then produced his media card to the security officers but they in return had abused him in filth.

Later some officers of the Presidential Security Division (PSD) identified him and allowed to him to cover the event.

When the journalist was leaving the hospital after the event soldiers who earlier had refused to allow him to cover the event assaulted him.

Sandun Jayasekara was later admitted to Colombo National Hospital, the sources added.