CPJ calls for immediate release of Indian journalist

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 December 2013, 20:18 GMT]
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York based media rights group, on Friday called for the immediate release of an Indian journalist and film-maker, Maga Thamizh Prabhagaran who was arrested by the occupying Sri Lankan military and Police in Vanni on Wednesday.

"Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa continually insists that his administration has nothing to hide, yet time and time again, we see authorities harass and intimidate journalists in an effort to prevent them from doing their work," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

"Sri Lanka should release Tamil Prabhakaran immediately," Joel Simon said.

In the meantime, news sources in Colombo said that the journalist was being subjected to interrogation by the so-called Terrorist Investigation Department of SL Police.

The TID is manned by SL military intelligence operatives who receive direct instructions from the SL Defence Ministry in Colombo.

Chronology:

27.12.13  CPJ calls for immediate release of Indian journali..

27.12.13  Sri Lanka’s TID interrogates Indian journalist in ..

26.12.13  Colombo arrests Indian journalist touring Vanni

Sri Lanka’s TID interrogates Indian journalist in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 27 December 2013, 13:19 GMT]
The journalist from Tamil Nadu, Maga Thamizh Prabhagaran, who was arrested by the occupying SL military and police in Vanni, while he was visiting Ki’linochchi was still under the custody of the ‘Terrorist Investigation Department’ as late as Thursday night, informed sources in Colombo said. Earlier, the SL police spokesman in Colombo had stated that the Mr Thamizh Prabhagaran was being handed over to the immigration authorities for deportation. But, Colombo's TID officers were interrogating the Indian journalist on his contact network in the island by going through his article series that has appeared in Junior Vikatan, the sources further said.

In the meantime, journalist community and the political parties in Tamil Nadu have demanded New Delhi to intervene and secure the safe return of Indian journalist.

MDMK leader Vaiko in an urgent letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged immediate and appropriate measures to be taken through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release the Indian citizen from Colombo’s custody and to make sure his safe return to Tamil Nadu.

Journalist associations in Chennai were preparing for the next action after sending urgent appeals to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Delhi.

The occupying SL military interfering in the civil affairs arrested the journalist Maga Thamizh Prabahagaran on Wednesday in Ki’linochchi district while the journalist was talking to the parish priest of St. Antony’s Church at the presence of Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian S. Sritharan and fellow TNA politicians who were on a tour visiting Ponnaave’li and meeting the people there.

The TID department is manned by military intelligence officers, who receive direct instructions from SL presidential sibling and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Chronology:

27.12.13  CPJ calls for immediate release of Indian journali..

27.12.13  Sri Lanka’s TID interrogates Indian journalist in ..

26.12.13  Colombo arrests Indian journalist touring Vanni