Arrest Highlights Vulnerability of Journalists
April 3rd, 2008
Press Statement by National Peace Council of Sri Lanka
The arrest and detention without charge of a senior journalist, Jayaprakash Tissainayagam for nearly a month is matter of grave concern that highlights the vulnerability of journalists to accusations of having links with the LTTE. The Supreme Court, which has granted him leave to proceed with a petition of fundamental rights violation, has declined an application for interim relief to release Mr Tissainayagam on any condition deemed fit after a confidential report was submitted to it by government lawyers.
In the meantime the Terrorist Investigation Department of the police has also obtained an order from a Magistrate’s Court to seal the printing press of which Mr Tissainayagam is a director. This action has been taken against them for allegedly aiding the LTTE and attempting to tarnish the good name of the government by publishing distorted and false propaganda.
The National Peace Council accepts that all persons need to follow the law and not engage in illegal activities. However, journalists are particularly vulnerable in situations of conflict to which the government is a party as they are duty bound to cover all sides of the conflict. A responsible journalist will be motivated to make contact with all conflicting parties to ascertain the all facts pertaining to the conflict.
The National Peace Council requests the government to press charges, if any, against Mr Tissainayagam without delay or release him on bail if at this time it is unable to gather the quantum of information required to press ahead with legal charges. We are deeply concerned as Mr Tissainayagam has been an activist and colleague of long standing and repute in the fields of human rights and peace and his prolonged detention serves as a warning of the perils of engaging in such work.
Executive Director
On behalf of the Governing Council
[Full Text of Press Statement]
Entry Filed under: Full Text of Press Release
5 Comments Add your own
1. nilame | April 3rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Very right. Well balanced request to the GOSL. Either charge or release. This is a great opportunity for the goverment to come clean. Nobody blames the government for investigating suspicious people. But do it the right way.
2. M.Thiru | April 3rd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Daily Mirror : Magistrate allows TID to detain Tissainayagam till May 12. by T.Farook Thajudeen.
It looks like Rohita Bogollagama - David Miliband meeting on democracy in Eastern province ( the eastern province elections are on May 10th ) has resulted in David Miliband in the name of British democracy endorsing MR regime’s actions against journalists who do not support Mahinda Chinthanya and the state terror.
The way it goes soon there may be offer to journalists in the form cash rewards and visas to foreign countries, so that Mahinda Regime has a free hand in running the country.
3. Devinda Fernando | April 4th, 2008 at 3:01 am
I agree. Charge him or release him,… I say charge him with Material support to a Terrorist organization and then lock him in jail, and throw away the key. Simple. Why hold him indefinitely?
4. Devinda Fernando | April 4th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Why do people think that Journalists are these Super moral impartial people? No Single Journalist is Impartial. Everyone is Biased or outright slanted. People throw this idea around that Journalists can say what they want without consequence but that is false. You simply cannot aid and Abet the Enemy. That is Treason.
5. JeyP | April 4th, 2008 at 11:51 am
# 4 dont you normally argue in favor of letting justice be done (ala your articles on the Muttur massacre). But here you are condemning poor Tissa as a terrorist suspect who should be charged and locked up. Do you have any evidence that you could share with the rest of us? Please do tell. Otherwise Shut the ….. up! You are a pompous arrogant person to say it politely.
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