I will forever defend media freedom despite the insults – PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that he would always defend the freedom of media, despite the numerous insults directed to him by the mass media.

He stated this joining an event held in Colombo today (27).

The 20th anniversary of the Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social Responsibility, presided by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, was held this evening.

Joining the event, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran stated that there is no apparent progress on the investigations carried out pertaining to the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, abduction and forced disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and the assault on Keith Noyahr.

It is a shame that no investigation has been commenced on the murders of Tamil journalists, MP Sumanthiran further said.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said that police groups carrying out the investigations have raised questions as to how they could proceed with the investigations when the mass media insult them and treat them as savages.

“Directly or indirectly, I am the one who faces insults by the media the most. However, I will defend that right of yours until the end” the Prime Minister emphasized at the event.