Journalist serving 20-year sentence gets bail in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO - A Tamil journalist serving a 20-year prison term in Sri Lanka on a conviction of inciting communal disharmony was released on bail Monday pending his appeal, court officials said.

J.S. Tissainayagam, in custody since March 7, 2008, was released on bail of 50,000 rupees (about $440), but ordered to surrender his passport and remain in the country.

He was convicted Aug 31 last year on several counts related to editing the defunct North Eastern Monthly magazine between 2006 and 2007.

He was also convicted on charges of collecting information for the purpose of terrorism, and for providing money for the purpose of terrorism from the donations made to the magazine.

Tissainayagam was arrested during intense military operations against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were eventually defeated in May 2009.