Police harass journalists in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 14:02 GMT]
Policemen posted at the entrance of Batticaloa Secretariat stopped two Muslim journalists from entering the Secretariat premise Tuesday around 10:30 a.m, according to a complaint made by the journalists to Batticaloa Senior Police Commissioner, H. M. P. Hearath.

Policemen verbally abused the journalists M. S. M. Noordeen and S. M. M. Musthafa, and prevented them from taking the motorcycles up to the Secretariat building though it was customary for journalists attending conferences to ride into the Secretariat premises, the complaint further said.

The journalists were turned back at the entrance even after their press identity documents were inspected by the policemen.