Lankan journalist tops ‘10 Most Urgent’ list of press freedom cases focused on missing journalists

The One Free Press Coalition, a united group of pre-eminent editors and publishers using their global reach and social platforms to spotlight journalists under attack worldwide, yesterday issued its 19th ‘10 Most Urgent’ list of journalists whose press freedoms are being suppressed or whose cases are seeking justice.

This ‘10 Most Urgent’ list focuses on missing journalists. Globally 64 journalists are missing, according to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which launched a #MissingNotForgotten campaign on 30 August to share their stories and to pressure authorities to continue investigating their disappearances. 

The pandemic has slowed or stopped several of the cases’ investigations. Topping the list is Sri Lanka’s Prageeth Eknelygoda, a cartoonist and columnist for online news outlet Lanka eNews, who was last seen by his wife and two teenage sons as he left his house for work 10.5 years ago. 

The Coalition said ahead of the 2010 presidential election, staff of Lanka eNews faced intimidation for its opposition of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government. Last year the attorney general indicted seven individuals over Eknelygoda’s abduction, and the trial is ongoing. In the past six months, Eknelygoda’s wife, Sandya, said she believed witnesses in the case were being intimidated, and threats to her and surveillance of her family had increased.

Others are  Daysi Lizeth Mina Huamán (Peru), Farhad Hamo (Syria), Vladijmir Legagneur (Haiti),María Esther Aguilar Cansimbe (Mexico), Jean Bigirimana (Burundi), Ibraimo Mbaruco (Mozambique), Oralgaisha Omarshanova (Kazakhstan), Azory Gwanda (Tanzania), and Samir Kassab (Syria). 

(Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/31/opinion/sri-lankan-journalist-tops-10-most-urgent-list-press-freedom-cases-focused-missing-journalists/)