Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association says it strongly condemns the sealing of the Teleshan Network’s (TNL) transmission offices in Polgahawela and it shows the standard of media freedom under the good governance government.
The Association in a statement accused the government of pressurizing the media through the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) and pointed out that the government proved it by blocking the Lanka e-News website earlier.
The Journalists Association stressed that if the government really wanted to create media freedom in the country then the government should release the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission from the political grip.
The statement further said that the government cannot prevent criticism against it by sealing off or blocking media institutions and what the government should do at this time is to fulfill the promises made to the public and not using political power to control the mass media.
Wednesday, TNL Television said their transmission offices in Polgahawela were sealed by the TRC at a time that all payments were made and that steps were taken by the TRC to remove equipment of its office in Polgahawela.
The TRCSL said the TNL-owned transmission station in Polgahawela was shut down on the order issued by the Polgahawela Magistrate’s Court since the network had not obtained the annual transmission license from the TRC and had failed to make payments since last year.
