UN insists on freedom of expression in Sri Lanka

Freedom of expression and media is paramount, the United Nations said Monday when asked about reports concerning the treatment of the press in Sri Lanka.

Martin Nesirky, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that freedom of the media is vital and journalists should be able to carry out their work without fear of attack or being harassed to do the work that they need to do.

Responding to query on a petition handed over to the UN office in Colombo by the wife of the missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, the Spokesperson said they were not aware of a petition having been submitted.

Prageeth Eknaligoda, a columnist and cartoonist for the LankaeNews website, whose office was set on fire in the pre-dawn hours of Monday (31), disappeared over a year ago in January 2010.

His wife Sandhya Eknaligoda last week reportedly handed over a petition to the UN office in Colombo seeking the UN's help to find her husband.