The United States criticized Sri Lanka on Monday for sentencing Tamil journalist J.S.Tissanayagam, whose case has been highlighted by US President Barack Obama, to 20 years in prison.
"We were disappointed to learn of the verdict and the severity of the sentence," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said after Sri Lankan High Court handed down the sentence against J.S. Tissainayagam.
"We continue to be concerned about the state of media freedom in Sri Lanka. Journalists remain under threat and consequently continue to practice self-censorship," he said, adding: "We urge the Government of Sri Lanka to do everything it can to ensure Tissainayagam's health and safety in prison".
Obama mentioned Tissainayagam in his May 1 World Press Freedom day statement describing him as an "emblematic example" of a journalist who was being persecuted for doing his work.