LankaeNews.com is a
Sri Lankan online
News website
An online newspaper (or electronic news or electronic news publication) is the electronic publishing, online version of a newspaper, either as a stand-alone publication or as the online version of a printed periodical literature, periodical.
Goin ...
that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka. It is known and has been targeted for its independent reporting.
Attacks and threats
LankaeNews.com was banned for several years under the Government of
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa (; ; born Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa; 18 November 1945) is a Sri Lankan politician. He served as the sixth President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015; the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2004 to 2005, 2018, and 2019 to 2022; the ...
. Its office was set on fire in an arson attack in 2011 and its Editor Bennett Rupasinghe told
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
that he suspected the government’s hand in the crime as LankaeNews had written several articles critical of the Sri Lankan government. Later Bennett Rupasinghe was arrested. Earlier its previous editor, Sandaruwan Senadheera had to flee Sri Lanka after threats. It came under international limelight in 2010 when its correspondent
Prageeth Eknaligoda
Prageeth Ekneligoda (born April 9, 1960) is a Sri Lankan Cartoonist, Political analyst and Journalist. He was reported missing on January 24, 2010, two days before the Presidential polls in Sri Lanka when the country was under the Presidency of M ...
disappeared while he was investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Sri Lankan Army against Tamil rebels. The website was banned in November 2017 after it published news reports about alleged corruption in office of the President
Maithripala Sirisena
Maithripala Yapa Sirisena (; ; born 3 September 1951) is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the seventh president of Sri Lanka from 9 January 2015 to 18 November 2019. Sirisena is Sri Lanka's first president from the North Central Province, S ...
and other critical reporting of the government. The ban has been criticised by media organisations including
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City, with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. The '' American Journalism ...
and
Free Media Movement
See also
*
Freedom of the press in Sri Lanka
References
{{reflist
External links
LankaeNews.com Official Website Sri Lankan news websites