We believe that the issuance of a media identity card by the government will result in the suppression of journalists and the government is imposing its authority on journalists. As a populist government it should supports the maintenance of a free media in the country, it should assign the issuance of identity cards to an independent institutional structure, allow all journalists to cover the media discussions that inform cabinet decisions, and promptly answer the questions raised by journalists, the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association said in a press release.

“We consider this incident as an opportunity to demonstrate the weakness of the Minister and the officials in responding to fair criticism leveled at the government through the free media, as well as their inability to bear it,” the press release stated.

The press release was issued by the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association, condemning the expulsion of Sky News website editor Shantha Wijesuriya from the press briefing held at the Government Information Department this yesterday 8 to announce cabinet decisions, and expressing its disdain for the government’s policy of denying freedom of speech and expression.

The press release states that the refusing to allow Lanka Sky News editor Shantha Wijesuriya to enter the auditorium of the Government Information Department during the press conference held to announce cabinet decisions yesterday 8 morning is a serious attack on the freedom of the media, freedom of speech and expression in Sri Lanka by the National People’s Power government. Therefore, we express our association’s displeasure and disgust to you, the Minister of Mass Media, as well as to the government.

The press release further states:

The Director General of the Government Information Department did not allow Shantha Wijesuriya, a well-known journalist in Sri Lanka and an executive member of our association, to access the media briefing, stating that he did not have the media ID card issued by the Department of Information. However, at that time, journalist Wijesuriya also had the media ID cards issued jointly by the International Journalists Association, the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association, and the ID card of the Lanka Sky News.

Today, a week after you announced at the Cabinet Press Conference held at the Government Information Department on 29th April 2025 that only journalists holding the identity card of the Government Information Department would be allowed to participate in the weekly Cabinet Decisions Press Conference, journalist Wijesuriya was not allowed to participate in that press conference.

As a responsible media organization upholding for media freedom and the rights of journalists, we consider this incident that occurred after your arrogant statement as the Minister of Mass Media as a threat to the rights of journalists to freely express their opinions and as a despicable attempt to invite only a group of journalists who are tamed to the government for news discussions. We consider that the National People’s Power government is acting like previous governments to suppress the media. 

The following is the press release issued by the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association.