Visit Indian Travel Sites
Goa,
Kerala,
Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh,
Delhi,
Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Sikkim,
Madhya Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir
Karnataka
|
Lanka Supreme Court allows Fonseka to question legality of his arrest | A three-judge bench of Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Friday granted legal representatives of arrested former army chief General (retired) Sarath Fonseka permission to proceed on a case that questions the violation
of their client's fundamental rights and the legality of his arrest on Monday night (February 8) by the government. The court order was given despite strong
objections from the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government, which was represented by the
country's Attorney General Mohan Peiris. The court ordered the state to file
objections within a month and said it would consider providing interim relief to
General (retired) Fonseka on February 23. The order was issued in the midst of
unprecedented
security, as thousands of protesters had clashed with a pro-government group on
Wednesday. Riot police were on standby and hundreds of police sealed off streets
leading to the court complex.Elite Special Task Force personnel were seen with
automatic riles lining the streets leading to the court complex. "I have one hundred
percent confidence in the courts. I expect justice from this court," said Anoma
Fonseka, the wife of General Fonseka, after the court hearing. Karu
Jayasuria,Deputy
Leader of the opposition United National Party (UNP) said he expected the apex
court to be impartial in safeguarding the fundamental rights of General (retired)
Fonseka. Meanwhile, hundreds of lawyers poured out of the courts to participate
in a silent protest this afternoon. Police did not interfere. On Thursday, the
Asian Human Rights Commission warned that General (retired) Fonseka was being
deprived of "due process" because his case was being handled in a military rather
than a civilian court. On the same day, the Indian Government also said in a
statement
that it expected the Sri Lankan Government to follow the due process of law, and
added that it would remain in touch with Colombo on the matter. "We have been
in touch with the government of Sri Lanka about the detention of Retired General
Sarath Fonseka. As a friend and neighbour, we trust that due processes of law
will be observed in democratic Sri Lanka in this matter," MEA spokesperson Vishnu
Prakash said in a statement. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also told President
Rajapaksa to respect due process of law in the Fonseka's case. Anoma Fonseka
had
moved the Sri Lankan Supreme Court over fears that her husband's life was in
danger.
Her petition also challenged the move to try General (retired) Fonseka under the
Army Act, saying that he had retired from the Army on June 15, 2009. The Sri
Lankan
government has in the meanwhile accused both the US and Norway of helping
General
(retired) Fonseka during the presidential elections, which they have denied. |
|
|
|
|
|