Sri Lanka’s acting IGP affirms public right to film police

Sri Lanka’s Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Priyantha Weerasooriya, announced that citizens are legally permitted to record police officers while on duty.

In a special statement issued on October 30, 2024, Weerasooriya emphasized that such recordings are not against the law.

Addressing all police officers, the Acting IGP made it clear that while some officers have wrongly accused individuals of illegal filming, confiscated their devices, or even made arrests, there is no legal basis for these actions.

The statement stressed that such behavior by police officers has been linked to attempts to cover up illegal or unethical conduct. Video evidence from the public can serve as grounds for disciplinary action against errant officers.

The Acting IGP also noted that recordings made by the public may be used in both criminal and civil cases, as permitted under Clause 4 of the Evidence (Special Provisions) Act No. 14 of 1995.

This provision allows both prosecution and defense to use unedited video footage as evidence.

However, the statement included a warning: if videos are edited and circulated on social media to incite hatred against the police, those responsible could face legal consequences.

The Acting IGP emphasized that this directive does not shield such actions from prosecution.

The directive comes after a recent incident in Wariyapola, where a police officer threatened and arrested a person who was filming an accident involving the vehicle of former state minister Lohan Ratwatte.

The officer seized the individual’s phone and took him to the police station, but later released him with a severe warning.

Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath condemned the officer’s actions, stating that it is a citizen’s right to record such events and that police interference in this case was unacceptable.