In response to news reports today that Sri Lanka will offer a full pardon to journalist J.S. Tissainayagam, we issued this statement.
“We are heartened by news reports that J.S.Tissainayagam appears to have been pardoned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. But there are still many points to be clarified. It is not clear if Tissa will have his full rights returned to him and be allowed to leave the country. It is worth noting that the anti-terrorist laws he was jailed under remain in place, too. Before we celebrate, we will need some more information,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator.