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Government seals bank accounts of critical newspaper, its owner

(FMM/IFEX) - The following is a 13 March 2007 FMM press release:

"Mawbima" newspaper accounts sealed

Free Media Movement is disturbed to hear that the bank accounts of the Sinhala-language weekly "Mawbima" were sealed today, 13 March 2007, by the government. "Mawbima" is a critical newspaper and has a wide circulation among the Sinhala population. It is published by Standard Newspaper Private Limited.

"Mawbima" has been placed under increasing pressure by the government over the last few months, as documented by number of FMM press releases.

According to a "Mawbima" editorial, this move of sealing the accounts by the government will effectively stop the newspaper from being published. This is a very clear violation of freedom of expression.

Bank accounts of all other business establishments partly or fully owned by the Standard Newspaper Private Limited group owner Tiran Alles have also been sealed.

On 8 and 9 March, the government sealed the accounts of the reputable CBE group of companies, and on 12 March, it sealed the accounts of the well-established Gateway International School, owned by Alles.

This action by the government clearly shows a pattern of systematic intimidation and suppression of a newspaper that is not following the official line in reporting on conflict and corruption.

FMM strongly condemns these intimidation tactics of the government and urges the media community to rally the rights of "Mawbima" in particular and against autocratic tendencies in general.