The Sri Lankan born Tamil poet and Norwegian citizen Shanmugampillai Jayapalan, who was arrested by the Terrorist Investigative Department (TID) on Friday, will be deported by Sri Lankan immigration, confirmed the Government Information Department today.
Jayapalan was arrested on charges of ‘inciting communal tensions’ whilst visiting his mother’s grave-site.
The last few days saw strong campaigns from activists and politicians to secure his release.
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.