Human rights commission investigates navy and police harassment of Mullaitivu journalist

by Abi
Jun 25, 2019

The Sri Lankan human rights commission (HRCSL) is investigating the harassment of a Tamil journalist by the Sri Lankan navy and police.

Mullaitivu-based journalist Shanmugam Thavaseelan along with families of the disappeared made a complaint to the commission’s Vavuniya office after being harassed by a navy officer during a protest on April 7.

The navy officer had then filed a police complaint claiming to have been assaulted by Thavaseelan, following which the journalist was arrested and taken before the courts.

The journalist told the human rights commission that he was being harassed by the officer, with the Mullaitivu police also complicit.

While the commission heard from a navy representative that the navy would not interfere with the protests of families of disappeared in the future, Thavaseelan’s complaint was placed for further investigation with the commission seeking statements from Mullaitivu police and the Gotabhaya navy camp.

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