Connect with us

News

Civil society appreciate release of 10 persons held under PTA, condemns continuing interference

Published

on

Sri Lankan Collective for Consensus (SLCC) says following talks with the government over the detention of 10 persons in terms of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), they have been granted bail on the instructions of the Attorney General. The SLCC is engaged in discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government to explore ways and means to reach consensus on post-war national reconciliation.

The following is the text of statement issued by the SLCC: In recent days, the government has sent mixed signals with regard to improving the human rights situation in the country. On December 10, on which day International Human Rights Day is celebrated, a civil society organisation in Kandy, the Human Rights Organisation, headed by Fr. Nandana Manatunga, was issued a court order obtained by the police to block it from organising a human rights event on the theme “Ensure the Prisoners their Dignity and Rights to Human Conditions.” A similar event in Puttalam organised by an inter-religious group was subjected to surveillance by persons believed to be from military intelligence in civvies.

On the other hand, on November 27, the Ministerial Subcommittee to amend the PTA chaired by Foreign Minister Prof G.L. Peiris outlined proposed amendments to the PTA in a discussion with members of the Sri Lankan Collective for Consensus (SLCC). We consider our meetings with the government to be part of a process of necessary engagement between the government and civil society in general where issues could be highlighted and government members would give serious hearing and attention beyond partisan defence and inaction.

When SLCC met with the Ministerial Subcommittee, a case involving 10 persons, arrested under the PTA, was highlighted by us as an example of unfair detention and remand. One of the draconian features of the PTA is the power it gives to the police to arrest people on suspicion and to hold them in prison custody without bail until the conclusion of the trial. This can extend to several years.

We are pleased that on December 8, the 10 persons who were being legally represented in the court by one of our members were granted bail after seven months in remand. This was at the Magistrate’s Court Valaichchenai on the instructions and recommendation of the Attorney General’s office. As we had taken this case as an example during our discussion, the release of the detainees from remand may be a coincidence or consequence of SLCC’s discussion. In either event we are happy that this has been done.

The larger picture with regard to the PTA is to hear the voices of all those in remand who have been granted an order by the Magistrate’s court and are awaiting the decision of the AG for release or indictment. If all those could be considered for bail until a decision is made either way, as we proposed at our meeting, it will be of great value for a great number of those in remand under the PTA. Consequently we call for the government to become more institutionalised and less ad hoc in its approach to human rights. This is not only in regard to the content and implementation of the PTA but also the ordinary law.”



Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Digital Promotion Agency to be established – President

Published

on

By

President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a meeting with Governing and Opposition Members of Parliament held at the Parliament Complex, announced plans to establish a Digital Promotion Agency aimed at developing computer applications for the collection and monitoring of data from various government entities in Sri Lanka.

Previously, private companies had been responsible for creating such applications for government organizations and the President emphasized the need for a dedicated agency to carry out this task in the future.

Continue Reading

Latest News

President holds crucial meeting with SLRCS and IFRC officials

Published

on

By

President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened a meeting today (7) with a delegation composed of members from the  Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The delegation comprised of Jagath Abeysinghe, President of SLRCS, Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara, Director General of SLRCS,  Alexander Matheou, IFRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific, and Udaya Regmi, IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation for South Asia.

The primary objective of the meeting was to provide President Wickremesinghe with a comprehensive update regarding the ongoing South Asia National Societies Leadership meeting held in Colombo on June 6th and 7th

Continue Reading

Latest News

Enter correct age of children when setting up email accounts for them- Police Crimes Division

Published

on

By

Officials of the Police Crime Division told the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and National Unity that email accounts for school children should not be set up giving parents details but by entering the correct age of the children.

The officials pointed out that as online education has become a necessity it was necessary to provide the children with mobile phones (Smart Phone active) to access computer devices. However, they pointed out that by providing the parents’ data for this purpose when giving smart phones and setting up email accounts, the children will have the opportunity to access any website. But, if the information including the correct age of the children are provided, the internet system itself will control the ability and access of the children to view inappropriate videos and websites.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and National Unity met under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Dilan Perera in order to discuss the program to be carried out in collaboration with the National Reconciliation and Children and Women Bureau .

 

Continue Reading

Trending