People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists Will Try the Sri Lankan Government for the Murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge

08-11-2021 

Judit Kolbe 

Sri Lanka and Human Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

While violence against journalists can be observed around the world, prosecutions and justice for those journalists affected by violence are rare. Seeking to diminish this impunity, the new People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists [1] situated in The Hague, the Netherlands, officially commenced with its first hearing last week, on the 2nd of November 2021, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (CPJ, 2021; Gonzalez, G., 2021). Among two other cases for the death of a Syrian and a Mexcian journalist, the murder of Sri Lankan journalist, politician and human rights activist Lasantha Wickrematunge in 2009, will be heared by the Tribunal (De Soysa, M., 2021). The Sri Lankan government will go on trial for the case of Lasantha Wickrematunge, for ‘grave violations of the international human rights’, specifically the right to life, the right to freedom of expression and the right to an effective remedy (De Soysa, M., 2021). In the indictment issued against Sri Lanka, the current President Gotbaya Rajapaksa and his government’s security forces have been accused as the perpetrators of the murder of Wickrematunge (De Soysa, M., 2021). Additionally, the tribunal noted the increase of violence against journalists since Rajapaksa became President of Sri Lanka. While the Tribunal does not have the power to detain President Rajapaksa, it seeks to draw attention to this issue and put (political) pressure on him (De Soysa, M., 2021).

Notes:

[1] The People’s Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists was set up by three leading press freedom groups, the Dutch non-govenrmental organization Free Pres Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RWB). The tribunal is not a criminal court under international law, but seeks to raise public awareness. (CJP, 2021; Gonzalez, G., 2021).  

Sources and further reading: 

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) (2021, November 02). Tribunal for murdered journalists to open in The Hague. CJP. https://cpj.org/2021/11/tribunal-for-murdered-journalists-to-open-in-the-hague/ 

De Soysa, M. (2021, November 02). Creating a Safer World for the Truth. Groundviews. https://groundviews.org/2021/11/02/creating-a-safer-world-for-the-truth/ 

Gonzalez, G. (2021, November 03). A tribunal to fight impunity for killing journalists. Deutsche Welle (DW). https://www.dw.com/en/a-tribunal-to-fight-impunity-for-killing-journalists/a-59710156