New Delhi, August 12, 2025—Sri Lankan authorities must immediately stop harassing photojournalist Kanapathipillai Kumanan, who has been summoned by the counter-terrorism police for questioning, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
A police notice, reviewed by CPJ, ordered Kumanan to appear in the northern town of Alampil’s Counter Terrorism and Investigation Division (CTID) office on Sunday to provide a statement in connection with an unspecified “inquiry.” The summons for August 17 gave no further information about the nature of the investigation.
“Sri Lanka police must immediately drop their summons of Kanapathipillai Kumanan, cease their harassment, and ensure that journalists can work freely without fear of reprisal,” said CPJ Regional Director Beh Lih Yi. “Using counter-terrorism powers to target journalists over their legitimate reporting is an abuse of police authority and a violation of press freedom.”
Kumanan, an ethnic Tamil, has posted updates and photos on social media documenting 41 days of mass grave excavations, in which he said more than 140 skeletons were identified, at the Chammani and Kokkuthodvai sites in the Tamil-majority north. His photos have been widely shared and published by advocacy and news outlets.
The mass graves are the latest of dozens unearthed across the country, following the end of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war in 2009, in which tens of thousands were forcibly disappeared. The conflict left deep scars, as the families of victims and rights advocates call for truth and justice.
Tensions persist between the majority Sinhalese and Tamils, who have long faced systemic discrimination. Kumanan and other Tamil journalists have been repeatedly harassed by authorities over their reporting on the war, ethnic tensions, and human rights violations.
Police spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga did not respond to CPJ’s email requesting comment.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.