Tamil Journalist released after 7 days detention
Planning Manager of Vetri FM, A. R. V.Loshan was released by TID this morning in Colombo, according to Virakesari.
He was arrested at home in Wellawatte near Colombo, just before dawn last Saturday. Sri Lanka Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) alleged the Tamil journalist possessed a mobile phone number of a ‘terrorist’.
He was produced at the court by TID today and released subsequently.
Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), the worldwide press freedom organization said a few days ago that TID allegations against him of having “links with terrorists” and “aiding terrorist activities” should be based on evidence and not on simple conjecture.
“The growing number of arrests by the authorities of Tamil journalists under the anti-terror law gives currency to the common rumor that many of them are Tamil Tiger agents, but also undermines the anti-terror law itself”, RSF added.
On March 7, the Terrorist Investigative Department (TID) arrested journalist J.S. Tissainayagam and detained him without charges for more than 150 days. He was later charged both under Emergency Regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism Act for printing and distributing the North Eastern Monthly magazine and aiding and abetting terrorist organisations through raising money for the magazine. His trial is presently before the High Court in Colombo.
J.S. Tissainayagam, a political prisoner being transferred to a violent prison on Nov 18th and now being held with Sri Lanka’s notorious criminals has also received widespread condemnations, from independent media and human rights groups.
The International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) has unequivocally condemned what it sees as attempts to intimidate, harm and harass journalists in Sri Lanka.
