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Leading News from Sri Lanka ::
Aug 31, Colombo: The Colombo High Court today sentenced Sri Lankan Tamil journalist J. S. Tissanayagam to 20 years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations.
Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundera found Tissanayagam guilty on three charges of conspiracy and violating the Prevention of Terrorism Act and emergency regulations and handed over the minimum prison term applicable under the law.
Tissanayagam was arrested by the Police in March 2008 and has been detained since then under the PTA.
He was charged with inciting communal feelings by printing and distributing a magazine that aided LTTE and terrorism and collecting and obtaining information for the purpose of terrorism and for donating funds for the purpose of terrorism.
Tissanayagam, editor of the North Eastern Monthly magazine, wrote articles highly critical of government's military offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels. The prosecution said Tissanayagam received funds from LTTE to write and distribute his magazine.
Media freedom organizations rallied on behalf of Tissanayagam accusing the Sri Lankan government of clamping on media freedom.
The Sri Lankan government is expected to come under heavy criticism from media freedom and human rights organizations for the ruling.
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