Lasantha Wickremetunge

From WikiLeaks

Editor of Sri Lanka's Sunday Leader newspaper, whose publication was banned by the Sri Lankan government after he exposed corruption. Mr. Wickremetunge was murdered on his way to work on the morning of January 8, 2009. He was posthumously awarded the 2009 UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize.

A government investigation into his murder has not led to any arrests, and his assassination has been condemned around the world. Lasantha's life and that of his family have been threatened, including an attack with automatic weapons. He had also been subject to defamation charges by the government for publishing certain articles, and was facing a court battle with President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, the powerful Secretary of Defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, at the time of his killing.

When asked by the BBC about the government's response to Mr. Wickrematunge's murder, the Defence Secretary giggled hysterically and asserted that he had "done the correct thing" and was "not concerned" by the leading editor's killing.