The Heads of Churches of The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) take serious note of the recent arrest of Lanka E News Journalist Mr. Keerthi Ratnayake, by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) over the news attributed to Mr. Ratnayake, of an alleged attack on a foreign diplomatic mission in Colombo.
Taking into consideration the recent chain of events of arbitrary arrests, abductions and imprisonments, we call upon the President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police and other officials, to uphold the Rule of Law and ensure that due process of law is applied in this matter. This includes the protection, safety and well-being of the journalist in question.
We are concerned at the recent trend of silencing persons who dissent or who are critical of the government; for the right to dissent is an essential feature of a free and democratic society.
On Behalf of the
The Heads of Churches of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka
Reverend Maxwell Doss
General Secretary
National Christian Council of Sri Lanka
19th August 2021