" . . . we are alarmed by the Sri Lankan authorities' overt ridicule for the principles of free expression and the rights of journalists as Sri Lanka descends toward all-out war," a grouping of media rights bodies from across the region said.
The full text of the statement follows:
We, the representatives of journalists' unions and associations across the Asia-Pacific region, meeting in Kuala Lumpur, appeal to President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Government of Sri Lanka to protect the safety of journalists in Sri Lanka and uphold the rights of the media to report freely.
As Asia-Pacific affiliates and partners of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), jointly fighting for freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in all countries and