Intimidation and harassment against human rights defender and journalist Valasingham Krishnakumar
On 7 November 2023, human rights defender and journalist Valasingham Krishnakumar was served a notice by the Batticaloa police informing him of a case filed against him at the Eravur Magistrate Court. This legal action stems from his involvement in a protest held on 8 October 2023 by Tamil farmers of the Mathavanai and Mylathamadu areas against the encroachment of pastureland by illegal settlers. Valasingham Krishnakumar had visited the protest site and reported on the peaceful campaign by the farmers.
Valasingham Krishnakumar is a human rights defender and freelance regional journalist based in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. He is the President of the Batti Press Club and a correspondent for several print and media portals including Virakesari, DAN TV, Maddunews and Samugam Tamil news websites. Valasingham Krishnakumar actively reports on violations of social, political, and environmental rights of the minority communities in the Eastern province. He advocates for human rights through the use of videos, articles, and photographs published in Tamil newspapers and websites. The human rights defender has been targeted by state authorities as a result of his human rights work and journalism which include interrogation by intelligence officers, court orders and legal proceedings, surveillance, and intimidation - including visits by intelligence officers to his home in Batticaloa.
On 7 November 2023, human rights defender and journalist Valasingham Krishnakumar was served a notice by the Batticaloa police informing him of a case filed against him at the Eravur Magistrate Court. This legal action stems from his involvement in a protest held on 8 October 2023 by Tamil farmers of the Mathavanai and Mylathamadu areas against the encroachment of pastureland by illegal settlers. Valasingham Krishnakumar had visited the protest site and reported on the peaceful campaign by the farmers.
Valasingham Krishnakumar is a human rights defender and freelance regional journalist based in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. He is the President of the Batti Press Club and a correspondent for several print and media portals including Virakesari, DAN TV, Maddunews and Samugam Tamil news websites. Valasingham Krishnakumar actively reports on violations of social, political, and environmental rights of the minority communities in the Eastern province. He advocates for human rights through the use of videos, articles, and photographs published in Tamil newspapers and websites. The human rights defender has been targeted by state authorities as a result of his human rights work and journalism which include interrogation by intelligence officers, court orders and legal proceedings, surveillance, and intimidation - including visits by intelligence officers to his home in Batticaloa.
On 7 November 2023, the human rights defender Valasingham Krishnakumar received a notice from the Batticaloa police that a case had been filed against him at the Eravur Magistrate Court. The offences against him included damage to public property and unlawful assembly. These allegations were in connection to his involvement in a protest that took place on 8 October 2023. The protest aimed to demand justice for Tamil pastureland farmers in Mathavanai and Mylathamadu, who have been impacted due to land encroachment by settlers from the Sinhala community. The protest, which took place on 8 October 2023, coincided with President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to Batticaloa. Valasingham Krishnakumar was reporting on the peaceful protest as a journalist when the protest was disrupted by Sri Lankan police, who used excessive force on the protestors.
For over two years, Valasingham Krishnakumar has consistently reported on the challenges faced by Tamil pastureland farmers, serving as a vital advocate in raising awareness about the hardships and human rights violations endured by this community. Valasingham Krishnakumar has faced reprisals due to his work and reporting. Prior to being notified of the legal case, on 28 October 2023, Valasingham Krishnakumar was interrogated at his home by the Batticaloa police following his reporting on the October 8 protest. Several other human rights defenders and journalists were also questioned linked to their reporting or support for the ongoing farmers protest. On 22 August 2023, Valasingham Krishnakumar was among a group of journalists and human rights defenders that travelled to Myiladuthamadu Mathavanai, Batticaloa to support the farmers protests. On their way there, the group were stopped and detained for several hours and threatened by a mob led by a Buddhist monk.
In March 2023, the human rights defender faced online threats and labeling on social media, aimed at discrediting his journalism and activism. Despite reporting the attacks to the police, to date no effective action has been taken. On 14 September 2022, Valasingham Krishnakumar was interrogated by the Sri Lankan Counter-Terrorism and Terrorism Investigation Department (CTID) for an investigation in Colombo that arose as a result of his reporting. In January 2020, Valasingham Krishnakumar and other journalists from the Batti Press Club were targeted by a misinformation campaign, spread through leaflets, which accused them of working against the government, receiving funds from foreign donors for their work, and which contained death threats against the journalists. The reprisals were linked to a memorial event organised by the journalists in January 2020 to mark the anniversary of the killing of journalist Lasantha Wickramathunga.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned for the safety of Valasingham Krishnakumar who, it believes, is facing reprisals and legal action due to his peaceful human rights work. Front Line Defenders calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to end reprisals against human rights defenders and journalists, to create a safe environment for them to carry out their crucial work, and to immediately withdraw any charges against Valasingham Krishnakumar.
