Journalist covering protest ends up in court

Friday, 21 February 2014 

A journalist of the 'Lanka' newspaper who had gone to cover a protest demonstration has been produced before courts by the Morawaka police.

The journalist, Daya Neththisinghe, has been produced before court under the charges of obstructing the path of VIPs.

He was covering a protest demonstration by residents of Paragala and Pelawatta along the Galle - Deniyaya road on Feb. 16.

Police had obtained a court order to remove the demonstrators.

Prior to this, journalists have been reporting how the police were exerting minimum force in an attempt to disperse the protesters.

However, the Morawaka police has produced a list of 21 names charging them of obstructing the path of VIPs and behaving in a manner that inconvenienced the public.

The list included the name of the journalist and accordingly, he too is to appear before courts on March 17.