WEbsite offices sealed; journalists arrested in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka government has become tough on media that is critical on it. The offices of two websites were raided and several journalists were arrested on June 29.


Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raided the offices of Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News websites by 11 a.m. yesterday and arrested eight persons, reports say.


The government says that the websites were illegally run. Director General of Media Center for National Security Lakshman Hulugalla said that the websites spread false news that insult the country and they were sealed based on a court order.

Sri Lanka X News website is run by United National Party (UNP) Media Unit. Sri Lanka Mirror website is also linked to the chief of UNP Media Unit MP Mangala Samaraweera. However, sources say that Sri Lanka Mirror was registered under the Ministry of Information and Media.

Meanwhile, a coordinator of MP Mangala Samarawera, Ruwan Ferdinandus, who is also the editorial adviser of of Sri Lanka X News website has told to media that persons claimed intelligence officials came to search his house when he was away.

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