Tissainayagam Given Bail
He’s out, according to the Daily Mirror
Days after the death anniversary of editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, jailed journalist Tissa has been released on bail. Thank god for him and his family. After Lasantha’s killing (with impunity) the sentence of Tissa to 20 years put a chill through free expression and thought in Sri Lanka. I don’t agree with everything Tissa wrote, but the paragraphs he was convicted for were quite tame, allegations that the Army was attacking civilian areas. The burden of proof and evidence was so low that it set a precedent where almost anyone could be convicted.
This was scary because it corrupted the bureaucratic machinery of justice into part of the war machine. In the absence of an independent judiciary and in the presence of the Press Council Act, this was a disturbing move towards institutionalized censorship, largely at the whim of the Defence Ministry. It’s great that he’s out, but that precedent still stands. Sarath Fonseka is calling for abolishing the Press Council and passing a Freedom Of Information Act, which I support. I think that Milinda Moragoda in the current government has also advocated a freedom of information act. Either way, it’s nice that this one man is out, but we need some institutional change to get the fear out of everyone’s system.
Finally.
But the guy was an asshole to write what he wrote. What the hell. We were fighting Tigers who used civilians as a human shield…Still, free speech is something of great value.
It’s all good before election but what will happen afterwards?
I sincerely hope that he’ll be thrown back in jail to be someone’s wife after the election. That’s where he belongs. He took money from the LTTE. He wrote racist, pro-terrorist, hateful, inciteful propaganda on behalf of the LTTE for this money. If I was in Gota’s position, this ratbag will meet the same fate as Lasantha and Raviraj.
Yeah, I think I agree with you on this one. Tissa wasn’t a journalist, he was a mean spiritied racist using a newspaper to spread his pro-terrorist propaganda. He actually advocated violence, I remember reading one of his articles where he was talking about village massacres actually having an effect on government policy and how they ought to be pursued.
which article, and in which newspaper? i’m calling you out. proof please
If he received money from the LTTE then I think he deserves to be in jail.
That wasn’t even the charge. It just wasn’t on the indicment
I think this is another attempt by MR to try to appeal to the Tamil electorate at the last moment, after most other efforts terribly failed.