Individuals at Risk

In Sri Lanka's armed conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), journalists are paying a heavy price. Ten journalists have been killed since 2006, and Tamil journalists in particular have faced forced disappearances, arbitrary detention and torture. Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam, editor of the independent news website OutreachSL, is just one of the Tamil journalists tortured by Sri Lankan authorities, and he has been sentenced to another three months in detention.        

Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam was detained by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) after he inquired about the arrest of two others, writer and publisher Vettivel Jasikaran and his wife, Valarmathi Jasikaran. TID officials have held Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam since March 7 without charge, allowing him access to his lawyer only twice. The TID has held Vettivel and Valarmathi Jasikaran since March 6, and Vettivel has been tortured on multiple occasions.

The Sri Lankan government detains these journalists under Emergency Regulations, allowing the government to hold them up to 12 months without charge. Introduced by the president, the Emergency Regulations legislated against broad-based and vaguely defined "terrorism" offenses, which have been used to silence journalists and generally suppress freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.  This is in staunch violation of Article 9 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sri Lanka is a state party.     

Reporters Without Borders ranks Sri Lanka 156^th out of 169 countries with regards to press freedom, while Freedom House ranks Sri Lanka 139^th out of 195 countries. In 2006, Sri Lanka was classified as a "Partly Free" media environment by Freedom House, but in 2007 the country is considered "Not Free."

"Media freedom was one of the main casualties of Sri Lanka's slide into war in 2006, as increasing numbers of journalists, particularly ethnic Tamils, were targeted and media outlets faced censorship and other restrictions. Although freedom of expression is provided for in the constitution, a growing number of laws and regulations restrict this right," according to Freedom House.

The government is not alone in enforcing media censorship. The LTTE do not allow freedom of expression in areas under their control.

Please take action to demand the release of Jayaprakash Sittampalam Tissainayagam and Vettivel and Valarmathi Jasikaran by clicking on each name. Demand the protection of all media workers in Sri Lanka by clicking here.

Chelsea Toy - Individuals at Risk