“News websites not media” says CID
Wednesday, 22 August 2012

The lawyer who appeared for the CID has told the Colombo Additional Magistrate that the news websites Srilanakxnews and Srilankamirror could not be considered as media institutions.

However, Additional Magistrate Kusalani Punchihewa has said the decision on releasing the computers confiscated by the CID from the two websites would be made on September 4^th.

She has made this comment when the case regarding the journalists who were arrested by the CID for allegedly bringing disrepute to the President’s Royal name and publishing articles that put the government in a difficult sport was taken for hearing.

She has made the directive after considering a request by the Counsel appearing for the defendants, Upul Kumarapperuma to release the computers to the two websites if investigations on them have been concluded.

The Attorney General has told court that there were no objections to release the computers if there is an assurance that data in the computers would not be altered.

However, the CID has objected saying the data in the computers could be altered once they are released.

Lawyer Kumarapperuma has vehemently objected to it and the Attorney General has said there were no objections if there was an undertaking by the websites not to alter the data in the computers.

Is state media considered media?

A media activist said although a special statement could not be made on the matter since it was being heard in court observed that a proper definition needed to be given on what is considered media since the CID has stated that websites were not considered media. He pointed out that the state of the state media would be revealed in such an eventuality.

-Yukthiya.com