PETITION CLOSED

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  1. Signatures
    130 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 5 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
      • Your Governor
      • Your State Senate
      • Your State House
  2. Created By
    Deborah Boschman
    Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

This Tamil reporter was cited by U.S. President Barack Obama as an "emblematic example of a journalist who was being persecuted for doing his work"; a persecuted journalist.  Tissainayagam, 45, was sentenced to 20 yrs. in prison, in a Sri Lanka court, run by a dictator, on charges of supporting terrorism.  Obama mentioned him and his plight on May 1, 2009 at World Press Freedom Day.

 

He becomes the first jouirnalist to be convicted and sentenced under the PTA Free Media Movement.

 

Many are stunned by this court ruling.  The ruling dictatorship says that he was causing "racial hatred through his writings about Tamils affected by the conflict."

 

Many are saying that they are "appalled and saddened that Sri Lanka is closing its' doors to international standards relating to freedom of expression and for stifling the media.  This is a travesty of justice.  This is a direct attack against freedom of expression."

Recent Signatures

Free Tissainayagam, a Tamil reporter, who was sentenced to jail for 20 yrs. for his freedom of expre

Dear Representative

Mr. J.S. Tissainayagam, 45, was sentenced to 20 yrs. in prison on charges of supporting terrorism in Sri Lanka, which is ruled by a dictator.

Mr. Tissainayagam is a Tamil reporter, who was cited by U.S. President, Barack Obama, on May 1, 2009, World Press Freedom Day, describing Mr. T. as an "emblematic example of a journalist who was being persecuted for doing his work."

Mr. T. becomes the first journalist to be convicted and sentenced under the PTA Free Media Movement.

The Sri Lanka court said that Mr. T was "causing racial hatred through his writings about Tamils affected by the conflict."

They have been fighting for years in this region!

Many people around the world have said, "I am appalled and saddened that Sri Lanka is closing its' doors to international standards relating to freedom of expression. Sri Lanka is stifling the media. This is a travesty of justice. This is a direct attack against freedom of expression."

Please DO WHAT YOU CAN TO DRAW ATTENTION to the plight of Mr. Tissainayagam and to FREE HIM for his prison sentence of 20 yrs. for exercising his basic human right to freedom of expression.

This is just ANOTHER FORM of suppression and control in this dictatorship that took over the country of Sri Lanka in a coup.

[Your name]

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