A media organization has requested the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of a young Muslim poet who has been arrested and detained for more than ten months for writing a book of poetry.
The letter states that the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association has reported that Ahnaf Jazeem, who is being held at the Terrorism Investigation Division, has been bitten by a mouse.
In a letter dated March 29 to the Director of the Inquiry and Investigation Division of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the media pointed out that the CID, which is investigating the Easter Sunday bombing, had from time to time reported to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court the case of Attorney Hijaz Omar Hezbollah. Ahnaf Jazeem was arrested on May 16, 2020 by the Terrorism Investigation Division and is still being held under detention orders.
“This young man has published a book called ‘Navarasam’ which contains poems written by him and the reason for his arrest is that the book was found in a place that belongs to the ‘Save the Pearl’ organization.
According to the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association, the CID reported to court that Saul Hameed Mohamed Sultan, a resident of 152, 04 Cross Street, Al Manar, Kalpitiya, Puttalam, was allegedly the co-ordinator of the Save the Pearl organization. The man was arrested by the CID on May 3, 2020 and the book was found in his possession.
“Subsequently, the CID searched another building of the Sevada Pearl Institute in Madurankuliya and seized 19 copies of the Navarasam book. Anaf Jazeem (Mohamed Jasim Mohamed Ahnab), who is said to have been teaching at the School of Excellence adjacent to the Madurankuliya building, has written the book and the CID has arrested the youth, who resides at No. 57/2, Silawathura, Pandaraveli, Mannar. May 16, 2020. ”
According to the CID, the books were found not in the area but in the village where the youth lives, according to the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association.
According to a letter sent to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka by the association, it is learned that those who were in possession of the book had brought the book and handed it over to the people who had the book.
Although the police have justified his detention by saying that the book of Tamil poetry contains extremist ideas, the young journalists emphasize that it actually contains poems against extremism.
“Studying the poems in that book as well as other poems he wrote, we found that he was an I.A. That he had written a number of anti-S poems. He has also written poems against war and about peace. Many of these poems, which are at the forefront of poetry, are anti-extremist. ”
The CID has asked the court to call for a report from the doctors at Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital on whether the poems in the book are harmful to children, the media organization told the Human Rights Commission, adding that there are poems about life after death that are harmful to children’s minds. It is learned that several people have made comments.
The Association of Young Journalists of Sri Lanka has informed the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka that the lawyers have not been given the opportunity to meet the youth.
The Young Journalists’ Association says that the young poet Ahnaf Jazeem was initially arrested for allegedly having extremist incidents in the Nawarasam book, but now another investigation is underway and it has been learned that he is being pressured to make a statement before the magistrate.
Sri Lanka Youth Movement urges the IGP, the Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division and the Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order to expedite the veracity of these facts, to take action against this young man if he has been abused, and to make recommendations to the Director General of the Terrorism Investigation Division and to protect his life as soon as possible. The association has requested the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
“The unjust arrest and detention of such literary, artistic, anti-extremist youth is a natural incitement to extremism.”
The Association of Young Journalists states that the Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees that everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression, and that this applies to the author of the book ‘Navarasam’.
“His arrest for writing a literary work is a violation of fundamental rights protected by the Constitution.”
The Young Journalists Association of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has requested the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) to take immediate action as the young poet Ahnaf Jazeem has been in custody since May 2020.
Copies of the letter have been sent to the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, all Commissioners of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, the Chairman of the National Police Commission, the Attorney General and the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.