Six media organisations urge authorities to ensure her safety, warning against threats and incitement following Gnanasara Thera’s reimprisonment
By The Pulseline News Desk
A coalition of six Sri Lankan media organisations has condemned a campaign of hate speech, insults and alleged incitement to violence targeting Sandya Ekneligoda, warning that the escalating hostility could threaten her safety and deepen divisions in the country.
In a joint statement issued on Monday (12), the organisations rejected attempts to hold Ekneligoda responsible for the reimprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, stressing that the case had proceeded through the judicial system and that she should not be subjected to threats over the outcome.
Ekneligoda has spent more than 16 years seeking truth and justice over the disappearance of her husband, journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. The media groups said her pursuit of justice should not expose her to intimidation or violence.
The statement comes amid renewed controversy following Gnanasara Thera’s return to prison after the Supreme Court invalidated the presidential pardon granted to him in 2019.
The monk was sentenced in August 2018 to six years of rigorous imprisonment after being convicted of contempt of court in connection with proceedings relating to Prageeth Ekneligoda’s disappearance. He was released in May 2019 under a presidential pardon, which was subsequently invalidated by the Supreme Court, resulting in his reimprisonment.
The six organisations emphasised that the original complaint against Gnanasara Thera had been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, with Sandya participating in the proceedings as an aggrieved party.
They rejected efforts to portray her as responsible for the legal consequences faced by the monk, underscoring the distinction between seeking justice through lawful proceedings and being blamed for a court’s decision.
The organisations also warned that freedom of expression could not be used to justify threats, incitement to violence or campaigns directed against individuals or communities.
Calling for immediate intervention, they urged the authorities to take appropriate measures to safeguard Ekneligoda, uphold the rule of law and prevent the situation from escalating further.
They also called on political and religious leaders to reject attempts to exploit religious and ethnic sensitivities for political or other gains, warning against rhetoric that could encourage hostility and undermine social cohesion.
The joint statement was issued by the Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions (FMETU), South Asian Women in Media (SWAM), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF) and Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA).
The organisations’ intervention highlights wider concerns over the safety of individuals seeking accountability through the legal system and the potential for public controversy surrounding judicial decisions to fuel targeted harassment.
They maintained that protecting freedom of expression must go hand in hand with preventing intimidation and violence, particularly when public discourse risks placing individuals at risk because of their involvement in legal proceedings.
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