Tissanayagam gets 20 years’ RI

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo High Court yesterday sentenced J.S. Tissanayagam to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for publishing a magazine named North Eastern Monthly which provoked racism.

Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara sentenced him after convicting him on three counts indicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Law.

The Court observed that the case was proved beyond reasonable doubt. The Attorney General filed indictment against Jeyaprakasan Sittappalam Tissanayagam for conspiring to publish the North Eastern Monthly magazine between June 1, 2006 to June 1, 2007.

According to the second count of the indictment, he edited, published and distributed the magazine as a result of the conspiracy during the same period.

The third count charged him with accumulating funds for publishing the magazine.

The publication was defamation of the Government and aroused racism.

According to the indictment he had obtained funds from Non Governmental Organizations for publishing the magazine.

According to the judgment, the General Manager of Vijitha Yapa bookshop S. Siriwardene stated in his evidence before the Court that 50 magazines of the North Eastern Monthly were handed over to them monthly by the publishing organization and money was paid to Tissanayagam.

State Counsel appearing for the prosecution stated that the Constitution guaranteed media freedom but no one had the right to publish false reports deliberately that would arouse communal violence.

Attorney Anil Silva stated that many witnesses had stated in this case that accused Tissanayagam did not attempt to create disharmony among the races.

State Counsel Sudarshana de Silva appeared for the prosecution.