The annual press freedom report from US-based NGO Freedom House, has found that media freedom in Sri Lanka has fallen, with the country continuing to be classed as “Not Free”.
Sri Lanka remains ranked just one place above Afghanistan in the Asia-Pacific rankings and behind states such as Iraq in the global rankings. Classified as “Not Free”, Sri Lanka joins countries such as China, Iran, North Korea and Somalia.
See the full rankings here.
Last month a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists ranked Sri Lanka as the 4th in its global impunity index, stating the country had made virtually no progress in combating journalist murders. The four worst ranked countries remained the same, with Sri Lanka ranking behind Iraq, Somalia and the Philippines.
Meanwhile, as reports continue to slam the county's media freedom, the Chairman of the state-owned Rupavahini Corporation, the national television network of Sri Lanka denied these reports, stating,
"I don't accept there are harsh limitations on Sri Lanka’s media freedom."
See our earlier posts:
Status: Not Free (19 Oct 2011)
CPJ: Sri Lanka fourth 'Getting Away With Murder' (03 June 2011)
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