Sri Lanka Court Upholds Alleged Confession by Tissainayagam
Full Text of Media Release by RSF
A Sri Lankan court has ruled that an alleged confession made by senior Tamil journalist J.S. Tissainayagam while detained by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) was voluntary and admissible as evidence in his trial on terrorism charges. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is informed however that Tissainayagam was forced to make a statement to TID under extreme duress.
Giving evidence in Colombo's High Court on November 5, Tissainayagam denied making a voluntary confession.
After being detained by the TID of the Sri Lankan police on March 7 this year, Tissainayagam was held without charge or explanation for more than 150 days. It is alleged that Tissainayagam, the editor of an online newspaper, OutreachSL.com, made a voluntary confession during this time.
However, Tissainayagam was reportedly subjected to duress and denied private access to lawyers. Court hearings during this period were postponed arbitrarily. The Supreme Court denied Tissainayagam's lawyers a fundamental rights petition for interim relief, submitted on the grounds of arbitrary arrest, torture, discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and a denial of equality of protection under law.
Indictments against Tissainayagam and his two colleagues, N. Jesiharan and his partner Valarmathi, were filed before the High Court of Colombo on August 25. The three were charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a draconian law introduced in 1979 as an ostensibly temporary measure.
The IFJ and other international press freedom organisations are extremely concerned for the safety and welfare of the three. Tissainayagam and Jesiharan, the owner of E-Kwality Printers, were moved from a remand prison to the notoriously dangerous Magazine Prison in Colombo on November 17, according to the Free Media Movement (FMM), an IFJ affiliate.
The continuation of the trial against Tissainayagam has reportedly been postponed until December 18.
The IFJ joins the FMM in calling for fair judicial process to be applied all aspects of the continuation of Tissainayagam's trial, including the procurement of his safety and protection in Magazine Prison.
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide
3 Comments
In Sri Lanka (former Ceylon), if you are Tamil, it is a bad luck, all the three pillars (Judiciary, Government, and Military) of governance are against you.
Can a tamil expect justice from these court? This land is ruled by gang of 4 (rajabakse brothers),a comedian ( the man with beard) a rowdy( mervin)and a racist chief justice.
*** In Sri Lanka (former Ceylon), if you are Tamil, it is a bad luck, all the three pillars (Judiciary, Government, and Military) of governance are against you. ***
Gee....I wonder why? Maybe because you people as an Ethnic group have always sworn loyalty or looked the other way to Separatism? Anytime you face injustice, or even if you don't get your way Politically you throw in your support for Terrorism... That is your problem...then you wonder why Sinhalese Polarize against you?
For a brief period of time dating back 30 years ago to Independence the Sinhalese were at fault...but all the Modern day Suffering of Tamils in Sri Lanka is mostly your own fault. Look in the Mirror and see the Racists and Communalists you have become... Don't blame the Sinhalese everytime one of you breaks a toenail.