Front Line welcomes the release on bail of human rights defender and journalist, Mr J.S. Tissanayagam, who had been sentenced to 20 years hard labour on terrorism charges on 30 August 2009, after he published articles criticising the government and the Sri Lankan military.

Further Information

J.S. Tissanayagam is a freelance journalist for The Sunday Times and The Daily Mirror as well as chief editor of Outreach Multimedia, an online magazine established in January 2008 to highlight human rights issues in Sri Lanka. Front Line previously raised cases concerning J.S. Tissanayagam on 11 March 2008, 21 November 2008, and more recently on 31 August 2009.

On 11 January 2010, J.S. Tissanayagam was released on bail pending the appeal of his conviction under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

On 30 August 2009, he had been found guilty by Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundera and sentenced to the minimum sentence of 20 years hard labour. The charges brought against him included committing an offense by printing, publishing and distributing the magazine ´North Eastern Monthly' during the period 1 June 2006 to 1 June 2007, thereby committing an offence punishable under the PTA. He was also charged under the Emergency Regulations Act for making payments or collecting funds from non-governmental organisations to run the aforementioned magazine.

Front Line believes that the conviction and sentencing of J.S. Tissanayagam are directly related to his activities in defence of human rights in Sri Lanka. Front Line is deeply concerned that the Prevention of Terrorism Act is being used to silence any criticism of the Sri Lankan government. Front Line is also deeply concerned at the impact of convictions such as this on the physical and psychological security of human rights defenders and on the right to freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.