Sri Lankan Tamil journalist J. S. Tissainayagam who was pardoned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa last month from a 20-year prison sentence arrived in the United States capital yesterday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported.
The CPJ said in a statement that Tissainayagam was warmly welcomed by his friends and a CPJ representative at the Washington’s Dulles International Airport.
“He was all smiles, and said to thank everyone who helped him gain his freedom, ” the CPJ representative has said.
CPJ’s executive director Joel Simon welcoming the journalist said his arrival in the United States is welcome news.
“We hope his arrival in the U.S. is a step by the government to address its harsh policies toward the media policies that have not changed since the end of Sri Lanka’s more than 30 years of civil conflict,” Simom has said.
He was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division of police in March 2008 and had been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) until his release on bail.
Colombo High Court in August 2009 found Tissainayagam guilty on three charges of conspiracy and violating the PTA and emergency regulations and sentenced him to 20-years of rigorous imprisonment.
On May 3, the World Press Freedom Day, President Rajapaksa pardoned Tissainayagam who was free on bail since January this year.
source:LankaPage.com