Dharisha Bastians

Dharisha Bastians also spelt as either Darisha Bastians or Darisha Bastian is a Sri Lankan journalist and human rights activist.^[1] She was the Editor of the Sunday Observer and a contributor to The New York Times.^[2][3][4]

Dharisha Bastians
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Occupation	Journalist

Career

Dharisha has written several articles extensively based on human rights, militarization, democracy and political rights in Sri Lanka.^[5] Her article Navy Abduction Case received wide international attention which covered about alleged abduction of 11 Tamil young men in extortion in 2008.^[6] She also reported regarding the assassination of prominent The Sunday Leader journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge in 2009.^[7] In July 2018, she and her family received threats from Pro-Rajapaksa supporters regarding legal action against them for contributing to an article to The New York Times which exposed about the Chinese investment in Hambantota harbour including of Chinese funds which flowed during Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidential campaign prior to the 2015 Sri Lanka presidential election.^[8] She also reportedly left Sri Lanka following the 2019 Sri Lanka presidential election.

In June 2020, her residence was raided and her laptop was seized by the Criminal Investigation Department in connection with the alleged abduction of a female staff worker of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo who was reportedly kidnapped by unidentified men.^[9][10][11] Bastians was accused of having close connection with the Swiss staff employee.^[12] The international human rights organisations condemned the actions of the Government of Sri Lanka and urged to end the continuous prosecution and harassment of Bastians.^[13][14][15]

References

1. "LankaWeb – The political blind-spot". Retrieved 2021-07-01.
2. "Sri Lankan authorities seize reporter Dharisha Bastians' laptop in home raid". Committee to Protect Journalists. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
3. "Dharisha Bastians HRD, JOURNALIST". Front Line Defenders. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
4. "Five global organisations call on Govt. to end persecution of journalist Bastians". FT. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
5. "Dharisha Bastians". Front Line Defenders. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
6. "Sri Lanka: End Persecution of Journalist". Human Rights Watch. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
7. "UN Special Rapporteurs express concern over harassment of journalist Dharisha Bastians | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
8. "Sri Lankan politicians try to intimidate journalists over New York Times report". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
9. admin (2020-06-18). "CPJ raises concerns after CID seized laptop of journalist | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 2021-03-20.
10. Srinivasan, Meera (2020-06-16). "Sri Lanka CID seizes journalist's laptop over Swiss kidnap claim". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
11. MENAFN. "Sri Lanka- CID grills journalist over former Sunday Observer Editor". menafn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
12. admin (2020-02-13). "Foreign Service officer linked to journalist recalled as probe intensifies | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 2021-03-20.
13. admin (2020-06-24). "Sri Lankan authorities urged to stop harassing journalist | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 2021-03-20.
14. "HRW and Amnesty calls on Sri Lankan authorities' to end persecution of journalist | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
15. "End Persecution Of Dharisha Bastians: Rights Groups Tell Government". Colombo Telegraph. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2021-07-01.