Presidential pardon for Tissainayagam:

EU members welcome decision

Acting as the local Presidency of the European Union in Colombo, the German Embassy informs:

The Heads of Mission of the Embassies of European Union Member States and the EU Delegation in Colombo welcome the decision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to pardon journalist J. S. Tissainayagam who had been convicted for 20 years imprisonment with hard labour on August 3, 2009. This verdict, based on the Prevention of Terrorism Act, had raised concerns as running counter the principles of freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

The President's decision to pardon J. S. Tissainayagam is in accord with the respect of these principles which are part of basic human and democratic rights.