By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankan police arrested Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, editor of pro-rebel newspaper, Sudar Oli, on February 26. Vithyatharan is accused of aiding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in an airstrike over Colombo on February 20.
Three police officers and three more in plain clothes arrested Vithyatharan while he was attending a funeral. They hit people who tried to prevent the arrest.
Rights groups, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, call for Vithyatharan’s guaranteed safety and immediate release.
“Nadesapillai Vithyatharan has been a respected journalist for more than 25 years in Sri Lanka,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “The nature of his arrest and the allegations . . . point to more government repression of critical reporting. We call for his immediate release and are concerned that like other arrested journalists he will be held for a lengthy period. This is a tactic we have seen before in Sri Lanka.”
Reporters Without Borders is outraged by the arrest and demands his immediate release. “Carried out without a warrant, this arrest was a violation of the rule of law,” it said. “The police must release Vithyatharan without delay. What is this respected Tamil editor accused of? Outspoken coverage of the situation in Sri Lanka, including the fate of its Tamil population.”
Sri Lanka Media minister, Laxman Yapa, stated that Vithyatharan was being questioned by the Colombo Crimes Division (CDC). “He is currently being interrogated and his relatives will be able to see him this evening,” he said. “I can assure you that he is all right. And the press will be informed tomorrow.”
A spokesman for the police stated that Vithyatharan would be questioned to determine whether formal charges would be brought against him.
The CPJ reports that Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places for journalists citing casualties of more than a dozen since August 2005.
Despite government assurances that they are investigating recent attacks on journalists, those responsible rarely face any punishment.
For more information, please see:
Associated Press – Sri Lanka Editor Accused of Aiding Rebel Airstrike – 26 February 2009
CBC News – Journalists Group Decries Detainment of Tamil Newspaper Editor – 1 March 2009
Reporters Without Borders – Newspaper Editor Accused of Helping Rebels, Reporters Without Borders Rebuts Claim – 27 February 2009
TamilNet – RSF Seeks Guarantee of Vithyatharan’s Safety – 26 February 2009
