Jan 29, Colombo: The Alliance of Media organizations, a media right organization in Sri Lanka will hold the Black January protest today to commemorate slain journalists and protest the acts of media suppression .

The Black January protest will be held today at Lipton Circus at 2:00 p.m. followed by a public meeting at the Public Library Auditorium at 3:00 p.m.

According to the organizers, a large number of organizations, journalists and media rights activists are expected to take part in the protest to denounce the deteriorating media freedom and democracy in the country.

The month of January has been labeled as a Black month for media freedom with the killing of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga on January 08, 2009 and setting fire to the Sirasa media institute on January 06, 2008 in addition to the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda on January 24, 2010 and the attack on Uthayan newspaper.