Sri Lankan court issues subpoena on exiled journalist

Colombo: Sri Lanka's highest court on Thursday issued a subpoena for a Britain-based journalist to appear before it on March 3 on contempt charges.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court issued the notice on Lankaenews editor, Sandaruwan Senadheera, in connection with 14 cases of contempt of court filed against the exiled editor, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Gamapaha Chief Magistrate also issued an international arrest warrant against him in November, which was to be executed through Interpol for insulting the local judiciary.

Senadheera, who is believed to be residing in exile in Britain, left the country during the government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He has been accused of publishing a series of articles on his website and the social media, defaming local judges and castigating their character.

The Gampaha Chief Magistrate had also in November instructed the Department of Immigration and Emigration to arrest the editor if he arrives in Sri Lanka.

Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakse recently informed parliament that legal action will be taken against Senadheera for insulting the country's judges using the Lankaenews website.

Senadheera has rejected all allegations of insulting the judiciary and said the international warrant issued against him was illegal.