Free Lawyers Organisation Raises Alarm Over Move to Summon BBC Sinhala Journalists Before Parliamentary Privileges Committee

A prominent legal rights group has sounded a strong warning against what it describes as an attempt to resurrect an outdated and troubling practice — summoning journalists before Sri Lanka's Parliamentary Privileges Committee.

FLO Speaks Out Against Reported Plans

The Free Lawyers Organisation (FLO) has voiced firm opposition to reported plans to call BBC Sinhala journalists before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, cautioning that such a move would represent a serious threat to press freedom in Sri Lanka.

The organisation's concerns come amid growing unease within the country's media community over the potential use of parliamentary privilege mechanisms to scrutinise or intimidate journalists carrying out their professional duties.

A Practice Better Left in the Past

The FLO characterised the reported move as a revival of an outdated practice, suggesting that summoning members of the press before such committees belongs to a darker chapter of Sri Lanka's democratic history — one that the country should be firmly moving away from, not returning to.

The organisation stressed that the independence of the media must be protected and that journalists should be free to carry out their work without fear of parliamentary intimidation or punitive action.

Implications for Press Freedom

Rights advocates and media observers have long maintained that the use of parliamentary privilege proceedings against journalists can have a deeply chilling effect on free expression and investigative reporting. When journalists face the prospect of being summoned before powerful committees, it can lead to self-censorship and a weakening of the media's ability to hold public institutions accountable.

• The FLO has called on authorities to reconsider any plans to proceed with summoning the BBC Sinhala journalists.
• The organisation warned that such actions could damage Sri Lanka's international standing on press freedom.
• Legal experts have noted that proper legal channels exist to address any grievances, without resorting to parliamentary committee summons.

Broader Context

Sri Lanka has faced persistent scrutiny from international press freedom organisations over the years, and incidents involving the targeted treatment of journalists tend to draw significant global attention. The FLO's intervention signals that the local legal community is equally watchful and prepared to speak out when media freedoms appear to be under threat.

As the situation develops, media rights groups and legal professionals are expected to continue monitoring any steps taken by the Parliamentary Privileges Committee in relation to the BBC Sinhala journalists.