(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 20 July 1998, Ponniah Manickavasagar, a reporter for the daily “Weerakesary”, based in Vavuniya (in northern Sri Lanka), was arrested by the local police for questioning. He was later transferred to the Terrorist Investigation Department in Colombo (the capital city). The charges brought against him were not available. On […]
(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, on 20 July 1998, Ponniah Manickavasagar, a
reporter for the daily “Weerakesary”, based in Vavuniya (in northern Sri
Lanka), was arrested by the local police for questioning. He was later
transferred to the Terrorist Investigation Department in Colombo (the
capital city). The charges brought against him were not available.
On 16 July, Sri Gajan, a reporter from the same newspaper, was detained for
questioning in the Terrorist Investigation Department. In the afternoon,
three police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department came to his
office and arrested him. The only reasons given were “suspicion” and
“connections with the LTTE” (a separatist Tamil movement). Members of his
family were also arrested. Sri Gajan is still detained. According to the
police authorities, his arrest has no connection with his exercise of
journalism (see IFEX alert of 17 July 1998).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which guarantees the freedom to
inform and to be informed
are quickly
cleared and that they are released if they are only detained because of the
articles they wrote
them to give their sources or their contacts
Appeals To
Her Excellency Chandrika Kumaratunga
President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Residence
“Temple Trees”
Colombo 3
Sri Lanka
Fax: +94 1 44 6657/54 6657/33 3702/33 3703
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
