Army Files Two Defamation Cases Against 'Uthayan' and 'Valampuri'

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya on Friday (23) filed action against ‘Uthayan’ and ‘Valampuri’ newspapers for defamation, claiming Rs 100 million each in damages.

These two newspapers on July 11, 2012 published two articles, concerning the Commander of the Army, Sri Lanka Army and several senior Army officers which were of highly defamatory in nature.

Both cases are to be taken up at District Court of Jaffna on January 21, 2013.

Army Directorate of Legal Services which filed both cases maintains that the Army would continue to file defamation cases against whosoever who defames the Army with the intention of protecting the good image of the organization and our heroic soldiers.

It has been observed that these publications thought it fit to finger the Army for any crime or a suicide taking place in Jaffna, for example, claiming the existence of an Army camp in the nearby area, the Directorate of Legal Services stated.