Even as people across Sri Lanka staged protests on Wednesday against the detention of the former Army Chief, General Sarath Fonseka, a fundamental rights violation petition, challenging the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention was filed before the Supreme Court. The day also saw the announcement that April 8 has been fixed as the date to select new Members of Parliament.
Anoma Fonseka, wife of the commander-turned politician, and New Democratic Front secretary Shamila Perera filed the petition.
It said that by arresting Gen. Fonseka, the government had infringed on his fundamental rights to the freedom of thought and conscience and the freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment, right to equality and equal protection of the law, freedom from discrimination on the grounds of political opinion, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, freedom from unlawful detention, freedom of speech and expression and freedom of association guaranteed in the Constitution.
The protests were in response to the Opposition’s call on Tuesday to people to rise against the alleged injustice meted out to Gen. Fonseka. What began as a peaceful agitation in Colombo turned violent after it came under attack by another group. The police fired teargas shells to control the protesters. In Galle, Matara and Ampara districts, the police fired teargas shells to disperse protesters.
No comments:
Post a Comment