Vigil for prisoners of conscience and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka March 6, 2009

Who: Amnesty International Group 133 of Somerville and the Boston Firefly Project
What: Vigil for prisoners of conscience and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka

Date: Friday, March 6, 2009

Time: 6pm-730pm

Where: Intersection of Holland and College Ave, Davis Sq., Somerville

Why:
Join us at a vigil urging Sri Lankan authorities to uphold freedom of expression and immediately and unconditionally release Sri Lankan journalist J.S. Tissainayagam (known as Tissa), a man imprisoned solely for his legitimate work as a journalist.

This vigil, held simultaneously as other vigils at Sri Lankan embassies internationally, will call on Sri Lankan authorities to release Tissa and uphold their obligations to protect the right to freedom of expression.

The violation of media workers’ human rights in Sri Lanka is of deep concern to Amnesty International; media repression in Sri Lanka is one of the major factors that allows for the human rights crisis in the country to continually unfold behind closed doors. Tissa was arbitrarily held for several months without charge until indicted under terrorist legislation in August 2008 for two articles he wrote in a monthly magazine. He suffers from an eye condition and could go blind if untreated; Amnesty International asks that Tissa is allowed unrestricted access to his family, a lawyer of his choice, and independent court and specialized medical treatment.

For more information about Tissa’s case and human rights in Sri Lanka visit http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/sri-lanka.

If you have questions about the vigil, visit http://www.amnesty133.org or http://www.bostonfireflyproject.org or email amnesty133@gmail.com.

Official Website: http://www.amnesty133.org