Heads of Churches of The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) issuing a release states that it has taken notice of the recent arrest of Lanka E News Journalist Keerthi Ratnayake by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) over the news attributed to him regarding an alleged attack on a foreign diplomatic mission in Colombo.

Taking into consideration the recent chain of events of arbitrary arrests, abductions and imprisonments the NCCSL calls upon the President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police and other officials, to uphold the Rule of Law and ensure that due process of law is applied in this matter. “This includes the protection, safety and well-being of the journalist in question,” the release, drafted by NCCSL General Secretary Reverend Maxwell Doss on August 19, further states. 

The NCCSL is concerned at the recent trend of silencing persons who dissent or who are critical of the government. The Christian council maintains that the right to dissent is an essential feature of a free and democratic society.