The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday interrogated the Editor in Chief of the E-Thalaya magazine Sri Lal Priyantha over an article featured in 2017 about the assassination of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickramatunge.
The CID had allegedly questioned the journalist and attempted to elicit information from him on his sources and other information pertaining to a SIM card mentioned in the article. However, Priyantha had refused to divulge the information. He has since been informed that he will be called before the CID later for further questioning. According to Priyantha, the CID had also told him that former Director of the CID SSP Shani Abeysekara and ASP B.S Tissera will also be questioned in this regard.
Media activists have raised their concerns if this is an attempt to intimidate media and journalists in the guise of investigating. Committee for Media Freedom in a statement said instead of investigating the murder of the prominent Editor, the CID is instead questioning journalists reporting on the case. The Committee also said it believed this was an indirect attempt to intimidate media personnel.
