Former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Attorney-at-Law Ramani Muththettuwegama says that, it is not possible to arrest a person just because he leave the house, as he has not committed a crime under Sri Lankan law.
“People are alarmed by the pandemic situation and the attacks on human rights in such cases are very serious,” she said. She says human rights are often restricted in the sake of controlling the pandemic and most restricted right is travelling. Curfew or travel restrictions will ultimately have the same effect. When a person leaves the house and is arrested by the police, many people do not ask what their authority to arrest them, and he/she remains silent until two weeks quarantine period and also disturbed by not allowing any relatives to meet them. She added.
The biggest crime in prison is to create unrest. She also pointed out that in prisons inmates should be quiet and it could be impossible to control them is there any unrest occurred. She emphasizes that throughout the year, the Human Rights Commission has had to write about the number of arrests, assaults and the deaths reported due to police torture has been increased. Relatives, lawyers and human rights activists have been avoided from meeting the arrested person because of spreading of the virus disease.
She was shared this thoughts on yesterday (05) at the launch of the book ‘ Sri Lanka during the pandemic’. The book ‘Sri Lanka during the pandemic’ – include stories by various scholars on the transition period from the era of good governance to the 20th Amendment.
This book is a production of the Right to Life Human Rights Center and edited by Mr. K. Sanjeewa.
-Shani-