The scheduled appearance of two BBC Sinhala journalists before Parliament’s Privileges Committee has reportedly been cancelled, according to informed sources.
Sources said the BBC Sinhala Service was informed that the hearing, which had been scheduled for July 23, would no longer take place. No reason was provided for the cancellation.
The journalists had been summoned following a complaint by NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra, who requested Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne to refer a BBC Sinhala article to the Parliamentary Ethics and Privileges Committee. She alleged that the report on a meeting of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus contained inaccurate information, breached parliamentary privileges, and disclosed confidential proceedings relating to a high-profile child abuse case.
BBC producer Ishara Dhanasekara and journalist Sampath Dissanayake were subsequently summoned to appear before the committee.
The move drew widespread criticism from media organisations, rights groups and civil society organisations, which described the summons as a threat to press freedom and freedom of expression.
Among those condemning the decision was the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA), which described the summons as an act of media repression and urged the authorities to withdraw the action. Other rights groups also warned against reviving the practice of summoning journalists before parliamentary committees over their reporting.
The reported cancellation comes after days of public criticism over the decision to summon the BBC Sinhala journalists before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee. (Newswire)