At a glance
members working in this country
-
Freedom on the Net 2017: Sri Lanka
Officials raised the need to introduce laws to regulate news websites and curb hate speech
-
Freedom of the Press 2016: Sri Lanka
The government granted access to many news sites that had been blocked under the previous administration, including the diaspora-based outlet TamilNet, which had been obstructed since 2007.
-
Freedom on the Net 2015: Sri Lanka
Rights violations on a considerable decline
10 March 2008
Alert
Journalists detained and questioned by Terrorist Investigations Department
Incident details
N. Jasiharan, Valarmathi, J.S Tissainayagam, K. Wijesingha, Udayanan, S. Sivakumar (Balasubramanium Wasanthan), Ranga journalist(s)Number of journalists arrested; one journalist released after questioning.
8 March 2008, Colombo, Sri Lanka - The Free Media Movement (FMM) is concerned about the arrest and questioning of a number of journalists on 7 and 8 March 2008. Some were held incommunicado for several hours. Most of the journalists arrested were associated with http://www.outreachsl.com , a news and features website.
On the evening of 6 March, E-Kwality printing press owner and writer N. Jasiharan and his partner Valarmathi were arrested by the Terrorist Investigations Department (TID) without any valid reason. Jasiharan's laptop computer and printed material from his printing press were confiscated.
On 7 March, the TID arrested editor of www.outreachsl.com and freelance journalist J.S Tissainayagam. He was questioned in the morning, and held incommunicado. His family was informed that he has been arrested only in the late evening. The "Daily Mirror's" website reported on 8 March that the TID refused to elaborate on what he was being questioned about. He is to be detained under emergency regulation from 8 March for 30 days.
Also on 7 March, K. Wijesingha, another reporter, and Udayanan, the visual editor of the website, were arrested and held until 12.00 a.m. (local time). Wijesingha's family was allowed to visit him at the TID on March 8. No news of Udayanan was available until midnight the same day.
On the afternoon of 7 March, the TID came looking for S. Sivakumar (alias Balasubramanium Wasanthan), the spokesperson of the FMM and editor of the bi-monthly Tamil-language "Sarinihar" magazine, and took a cousin of his into custody. The FMM was able to negotiate that Sivakumar would appear at the TID office at 9:00 a.m. on 8 March.
On 8 March, Sivakumar and http://www.outreach.com cameraman Ranga were taken in for questioning. High officials of the TID assured the FMM that no extra-judicial methods would be used in their interrogation. The FMM was relieved that Sivakumar was released within 12 hours, in the late evening of 8 March.
The FMM accepts that law enforcement agencies have a right to investigate leads in the public interest and take appropriate action as stipulated by the law. FMM also hopes that a fair process will be followed regarding the arrested writers and journalists. The right to retain lawyers at police stations while statements are being recorded and the right to inform family and colleagues as to where one is being questioned are basic rights that must be granted.
FMM notes that these rights are violated more often than not. Maintaining that, until proven in a court of law, anyone arrested is innocent and has to be treated as such, the FMM stands up for the rights of these writers and journalists as citizens of this country.
Source
Updates to this story
Critical journalist granted bail 12 January 2010 Discharge of magazine publisher and partner welcomed 29 October 2009 FMM, media groups urge president to free Tissanayagam 23 September 2009 IFJ welcomes expert report on jailing of journalist 16 September 2009 Journalist sentenced to 20-year jail term under terror law 1 September 2009 Journalist's detention extended for 90 days, still held without charge 11 June 2008 Detained journalists tortured, kept in inhumane conditions 21 May 2008 Journalist, press owners still detained by TID without explanation 26 March 2008 Three journalists released by Terrorist Information Department; two remain in custody 19 March 2008 Detained Tamil journalists badly beaten by police 13 March 2008- Most covered free expression issues in this country
More from Sri Lanka
At this point, would publish "Home page"
At this point, would publish "Sri Lanka"
At this point, would publish "IFEX"
At this point, would publish "IFEX Alerts"
At this point, would publish "Detained Tamil journalists badly beaten by police"
At this point, would publish "Three journalists released by Terrorist Information Department; two remain in custody"
At this point, would publish "Journalist, press owners still detained by TID without explanation"
At this point, would publish "Detained journalists tortured, kept in inhumane conditions"
At this point, would publish "Journalist's detention extended for 90 days, still held without charge"
At this point, would publish "Journalist sentenced to 20-year jail term under terror law - J.S. Tissainayagam"
At this point, would publish "IFJ welcomes expert report on jailing of journalist - J. S. Tissainayagam"
At this point, would publish "FMM, media groups urge president to free Tissanayagam"
At this point, would publish "Discharge of magazine publisher and partner welcomed - Vetrivel Jasiharan, Vadivel Vallarmathy"