January 31, 2007

To,

His Excellency, Mahinda Rajapaksa
President, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
His Excellency, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Prime Minister, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Release journalist Parameshawary

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to you on behalf of the Network of Women in Media , India, a nation-wide network of women media professionals, to call for the immediate release of Mawbima journalist Munusamy Parameshawary (23) who has been detained by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) without charge for more than 60 days.

Parameshawary has been held in the TID office in Colombo since her detention on November 26, 2006, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act on suspicion of having links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Yet no charges have been laid against her. Up until recently she was denied access to lawyers, her editor and media organisations, and in another travesty of justice on January 23, after a brief court appearance, the TID were successful in extending her detention for another 30 days without trial.

This is a shameful situation, and your government cannot remain inactive while a young woman journalist is denied her fundamental rights, and languishes in detention. This shocking case has grave implications for press freedom and human rights in Sri Lanka.

Parameshawary is known for reporting on issues related to the Tamil community and had investigated disappearances in Colombo. In light of her objective journalism and the tenuous claims against her, we stress our concerns that these new Emergency (Prevention and Prohibition of Terrorism and Specified Terrorist Activities) Regulations are being used and abused to oppress the media and silence vital independent voices.

Given that no charges have been laid, and that investigations conducted to date have failed to establish any links between her and terrorist activity of any kind, we demand that the government intervene to facilitate her immediate release.

The NWMI gives its full and unconditional support to the Free Media Movement (FMM) in their campaign for the release of Parameshawary, and join our colleagues around the world to stand in solidarity with Parameshawary, and all Sri Lankan journalists, in their struggle for an independent, safe and free media.

It is time for the Sri Lankan government to show the international community it is willing to defend the principles of press freedom and democracy, by securing an immediate release for Parameshawary.

Sincerely yours,

Ammu Joseph
Vasanthi Hariprakash
Meena Menon
Laxmi Murthy
Jyoti Punwani
Charumathi Supraja

(On behalf of the Network of Women in Media, India)

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