The US embassy in Colombo has expressed “grave concern” about the intimidation by Sri Lankan security forces of journalists, covering the court proceedings related to the gang rape of an 11-year old Tamil school girl by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in Jaffna.

In a statement released on Monday, the embassy also said it was deeply concerned about the cancellation of a training session for Tamil journalists, which was financially supported by the US embassy, after protests hit the venue in Colombo.

The US said that “well-organised protestors” disrupted the third such event since May, threatening to harm the participants, and accused the Sri Lankan police of not providing security to the threatened journalists, or taking action against the groups making the threats, despite their presence during the incidents.

“These events continue a troubling pattern of impunity for those who interfere with both freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in Sri Lanka. We have raised our concerns with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, and strongly urged the Government to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of fundamental rights for journalists and for all Sri Lankans,” the statement said.

Reports emerged today that the 7 journalists who protested against the intimidation by the military after being stopped while travelling to the workshop, have been summoned for questioning by the police.

See full statement below. See here for statement in Tamil.

"The United States is deeply concerned by the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of a journalism training session in Colombo over the weekend. The eventual cancellation of this training, which was focused on digital security for Jaffna-based journalists and financially supported by the U.S. government, was accompanied by a series of threats and intimidation of training participants and other journalists around the country, including threats against at least one journalist who made a statement criticizing the government over the cancellation. This marks the third training session to be canceled in Sri Lanka since May, including others that were disrupted by well-organized protestors threatening harm to the training participants. Even when present, the police have not provided security for threatened journalists or taken action against the groups making the threats.

"Separately, we are also gravely concerned about threats and intimidation by security forces against journalists covering the July 25 Jaffna court proceedings related to an 11-year-old victim of sexual abuse, allegedly at the hands of Sri Lankan Navy personnel from the Karainagar Naval Base.

"These events continue a troubling pattern of impunity for those who interfere with both freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in Sri Lanka. We have raised our concerns with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, and strongly urged the Government to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of fundamental rights for journalists and for all Sri Lankans."

Protesters disrupt workshop in Colombo for Tamil journalists (26 July 2014)