Sri Lankan media bodies condemn hate campaign against Sandya Ekneligoda

A coalition of six Sri Lankan media organizations has issued a joint condemnation of an organized campaign of hate speech, insults, and incitement to violence targeting Sandya Ekneligoda.

Ekneligoda has spent over 16 years seeking justice for the disappearance of her husband, journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda, who went missing in January 2010. The recent surge in harassment follows the reimprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. The monk was returned to prison after the Supreme Court invalidated a presidential pardon previously granted following his 2018 conviction for contempt of court related to the investigation into Prageeth Ekneligoda’s disappearance.

The media bodies, including the Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, warned that the coordinated attacks aim to intimidate Ekneligoda and suppress her advocacy for accountability. They called on authorities to ensure her safety, uphold the rule of law, and prevent the exploitation of religious and ethnic sensitivities for political gain.