Description

Three Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentarians have physically assaulted, verbally threatened and forcefully taken away the mobile phones of Parliament correspondents Swarnavahini Journalist Prageeth Perera and Sirasa TV Journalist Kasun Samaraweera, on 17th May 2022. This incident occurred while the journalists were recording the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentary group meeting held inside the Parliament premises, using their mobile phones. When MPs were leaving the room following the end of the meeting, MPs Indika Anuruddha and D. Weerasinghe have allegedly manhandled Prageeth Perera pushing towards the nearby wall, and demanded why the journalists have recorded them during the meeting, and snatched the mobile phones of two journalists, while MP Prof. Channa Jayasumana has also threatened them not to fight back as MPs have parliamentary privileges. After the journalists have informed the Speaker of the Parliament, he has responded saying that MPs have behaved in such a manner due to sensitivity pertaining to the current political situation in the country, even though the journalists were well known among the MPs. Prageeth Perea has been working as a Parliament correspondent for Swarnawahini Tv Channel for over 20 years, while Kasun Samaraweera working as a Parliament correspondent for over 7 years