Journalist Bennett Rupasinghe released on bail

BBC News

A court in Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka has granted bail to the editor of a news website critical of the government who was arrested last month.

Police said that Bennett Rupasinghe, editor of LankaeNews.com, was arrested for allegedly threatening another man.

But independent journalists and rights groups said that the move was intended to intimidate the free media.

Bennett Rupasinghe ~ (file pic)

The case against diabetic Mr Rupasinghe, 68, will be taken up again on 7 July. He denies the charge.

Lankaenews has been subjected to a number of threats and attacks in recent years.

A columnist for the website is still missing more than a year since he disappeared and its office was set on fire in January.

Mr Rupasinghe said at the time he suspected "a government hand" in the arson attack.

He told the BBC that LankaeNews had written many stories critical of what he said was corruption, wastage and cheating "especially on the part of the government".

Last year, the chief editor of Lankaenews editor fled the country after receiving threatening phone calls. ~ courtesy: BBC News ~