Oct 31, Colombo: International Press Freedom Mission visited Sri Lanka between October 25 and 29, found in its report 'a deterioration in the press freedom situation since its last visit in June 2007, marked by a continuation of murders, attacks, abductions, intimidation and harassment of the media personnel.'

“The International Mission is alarmed at the use of an anti-terrorism law for the first time in the democratic world, to punish journalists purely for what they have written and the Mission is worried about the dangerous precedent this sets for all media nationally and internationally,” the report said.

“Media in the North and East of the country have continued to bear the brunt of the worst forms of insecurity. Media access to war-affected areas is heavily restricted with journalists forced to reproduce information disseminated by the conflicting parties. Media are constantly threatened by all parties to the conflict in an effort to curtail independent and critical reporting,” says the statement adding that in “the LTTE-controlled areas freedom of expression and freedom of movement continue to be heavily restricted preventing diverse opinions and access to plural sources of information.”

The mission comprised of International Federation of Journalists, International Media Support, International News Safety Institute, International Press Institute, and Reporters Sans Frontiers.