Editorial Ethics

Rupa Garden exists to serve readers with honest, independent journalism. These principles are not aspirational — they are operational. Every journalist and editor at Rupa Garden is expected to uphold them in every piece of work.

Editorial Independence

Our newsroom operates independently from our advertising and commercial functions. Advertisers do not influence, commission, or have advance sight of editorial content. No story is published or suppressed because of commercial relationships. No government body, political party, or corporate interest directs our coverage. Editorial decisions are made solely by our editors.

Accuracy and Verification

We do not publish claims we cannot verify. Before publication, journalists are required to:

Verify facts against primary sources — documents, data, official records
Seek corroboration from at least two independent sources for serious allegations
Clearly distinguish between confirmed facts, informed analysis, and opinion
Not rely solely on press releases, official statements, or single-source reporting for significant claims

When we are uncertain, we say so. We use language like "according to", "unverified reports suggest", or "we were unable to independently confirm" rather than presenting unverified information as fact.

Fairness and Right of Reply

Anyone who is the subject of significant criticism or a serious allegation in our reporting has the right to respond before publication. We will contact subjects in advance, describe the nature of the allegations, and give a reasonable deadline for response. If they decline to comment or do not respond, we will note that in the article. We do not ambush subjects after publication.

Conflicts of Interest

Journalists and editors must disclose any personal, financial, or professional relationship with a subject they are covering. Where a conflict of interest exists, the reporter is recused from that story. Staff may not accept gifts, hospitality, or payment from sources or organisations they cover. Freelance contributors are required to disclose any relevant affiliations when submitting work.

Source Protection

We protect the identity of confidential sources. Journalists do not reveal the identity of a source who has been promised confidentiality, even under pressure. Before granting anonymity, reporters must be satisfied that the source has direct knowledge of the information and that there is a genuine public interest reason to withhold their name. Anonymous sourcing is used sparingly and editors are informed of source identities.

Privacy

We respect the privacy of individuals and will not publish private information unless it is clearly in the public interest. Public figures accept greater scrutiny of their public roles, but retain a right to privacy in genuinely personal matters unrelated to their public duties. We are especially careful about the privacy of children, victims of crime, and vulnerable individuals.

Diversity and Representation

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious society. Our coverage aims to reflect that diversity — not just in the stories we cover, but in the voices we include. We are committed to seeking out perspectives from communities that are often underrepresented in mainstream media, including Tamil, Muslim, Up-Country Tamil, and rural communities.

Opinion and Analysis

Opinion pieces and analysis are clearly labelled as such and are not presented as news reporting. Opinion contributors speak for themselves, not for Rupa Garden. We publish a range of views, including those we disagree with, as long as they meet our standards for factual accuracy and do not incite hatred or violence.

Comment Moderation

Reader comments are moderated. We remove comments that contain personal abuse, hate speech, defamatory claims, spam, or threats. We do not remove comments simply because they are critical of our journalism — robust criticism is welcome. We aim to foster a comment section that is worth reading.

Reporting on Sensitive Topics

We follow established best practices when reporting on suicide, sexual violence, mental health, and communal conflict. This includes following media guidelines on language, not including gratuitous detail, and providing relevant support resources where appropriate. Journalists working on traumatic subjects have access to editorial support.

Accountability

We hold others to account and we hold ourselves to the same standard. If our reporting causes harm, we acknowledge it. If we fall short of these standards, we say so. Readers who believe we have breached our ethical commitments are encouraged to contact us at info@rupa.garden. Serious complaints are reviewed by senior editors.

For factual errors, see our Corrections Policy.