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Official’s arrest over FB posts criticised

26 May 2021

By Pamodi Waravita   In a statement issued by the FMM on 24 May, the organisation has stated that the arrest of Jayasinghe is a “new form of deprivation of the freedom of speech and expression”, adding that public servants must have the right to enjoy every single Constitutional right. Similarly, the Power of Working People organisation, in a statement issued on 22 May, stressed that the freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right under the Constitution. Speaking to the media on 22 May, Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana said that Jayasinghe’s Facebook account had been monitored by the Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) Computer Unit, which has revealed that he has posted fake news regarding deforestation. Therefore, according to DIG Rohana, he had been arrested under Section 120 of the Penal Code, which states that publishing fake news and creating disharmony among the general public is an offense. Jayasinghe had been arrested on 21 May and had been produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court the next day. According to the FMM, Jayasinghe had been granted bail afterwards. Forest Conservation officer Devani Jayathilake has also come under fire previously on multiple occasions by various Government officials for speaking to the media on matters related to deforestation. Last week, the Ministry of Health has also reportedly released a circular instructing officials to not speak to the media, especially with regard to policy decisions, while the country is grappling with the third wave of Covid-19.  


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