Release the manager of Vettri FM Tamil radio A. R. V. Loshan - RSF


(Tamil Insight, 18 11 2008) - Paris-based media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders in a press released Tuesday urged the Sri Lankan authorities to release the manager of a Tamil radio A. R. V. Loshan, who was arrested at his home in the capital Colombo on 15 November.

The worldwide press freedom organisation said 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”, the organisation added.

A colleague of the journalist told Reporters Without Borders that his mother had been allowed to visit him. He is in good health and hopes to be quickly released.

Police questioned another journalist on Vettri FM before arresting the director. The 32-year-old with more than 10 years radio experience has worked for five years for the station, which is owned by the ABC press group.

Reporters Without Borders pointed out that two other Tamil journalists - J. S. Tissainayagam and Vettivel Jasikaran - are already being held under the anti-terror law. The fiancée of the second of them, Valarmathi Jasikaran, has also been imprisoned in Colombo in very harsh conditions.

Free Media Movement (FMM) from Colombo issued the following statement on Monday about this arrest:

Mr. A.R.Vaama Loshan, 32, General Manager of Vettri FM Radio, a Tamil radio station, was arrested by the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID) on 14 November 2008. He worked as a radio journalist for nearly 10 years before joining Vettri FM as GM in early 2008.

His family members told five media organizations that soon after midnight, a group of 13 persons identifying themselves as police officials, visited their house and took away Mr. Loshan. The police officials have given a receipt which says he was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

He is being detained at the infamous TID detention centre in Colombo. Five media organizations called on the government to ensure that Mr. Vaama is brought before the courts or released without delay.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a press release Tuesday welcomed the indictment issued by the High Court in Colombo, against Labour Minister Mervyn Silva and three others accused of alleged violence against journalists.

The following is the IFJ media release:

Sri Lankan Minister Indicted on Charges of Assaulting Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes an indictment issued by the High Court in Colombo, Sri Lanka, against Labour Minister Mervyn Silva and three others accused of alleged violence against journalists.

However, the IFJ joins its affiliate, the Free Media Movement (FMM), in calling for the Minister to be stood down from his position until the conclusion of the case.

According to the FMM, Silva is indicted on nine counts of unlawful assembly, mischief, robbery and assault involving Sirasa TV journalists at Peliyagoda on August 4.

The others similarly accused are Dulan Hettiarachchi, Prasanna Ranaweera and Nihal Chandrawansa (alias Manchi Nihal).

One charge relates to the alleged confiscation of videotapes from Sirasa TV journalists Waruna Sampath and Saliya Ranawaka as they reported on a community event.

The remaining charges concern allegations that the four stole money from the journalists, damaged the journalists’ cameras and assaulted Sampath.

“The IFJ is pleased that the allegations against Mervyn Silva will be dealt with through the legal system,” IFJ Asia-Pacific said.

“However, such serious charges against a Minister of the Government require that he be stood down from his ministerial position while the case is being dealt with by the courts.”

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide.

We also call on the government to guarantee the safety and security of journalists, media professionals and their families and desist from using a “national security” framework and argument to crush media freedom and silence legitimate voices of dissent in Sri Lanka.

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