Feb 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) vehemently condemning the shooting of Sunday Leader journalist Faraz Shukataly said that it is another instance of government's media repression.

In a statement released Sunday, the Political Bureau of JVP said the shooting of Shukataly is not an isolated or an accidental incident but another instance of the media suppression that is being carried out by the government.

The party said although the journalist escaped death the assassins have intended to kill him.

"Throughout the term of the present regime we have seen a process of hunting down journalists and media institutions that criticize the government and its leaders and do not obey the government. Killing, disappearing, assaulting and threatening journalists have become regular occurrences and what is distinct is it that those who are subjected to these atrocities are the journalists that do not tow the government line," the JVP statement said.

According to the JVP, it is necessary to immediately defeat the anti-democratic and repressive moves that are rising and to build a people's power capable of defeating the present despotic and anti-democratic regime that is responsible for such incidents. The party condemned the shooting and "all repressive moves that jeopardize freedom of speech and democracy" and demanded the government to bring all those responsible for the shooting before the law.