Family man seeks protection with Jaffna HRC

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 May 2008, 16:18 GMT]
A 35-year old mason from Urumpiraai West sought protection with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office Thursday due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries. He will be also placed in the protective custody in Jaffna Prison where nearly 300 persons are already placed in protective custody.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to Sri Lanka Ministry of Justice and the Director for Rehabilitation was in Jaffna Wednesday on President Mahinda Rajapakse’s directive to take action to attend to the needs of the persons placed in protective custody in Jaffna Prison.

A move to relocate the above inmates to the newly established Rehabilitation Centre at Kaarainakar during his one day visit did not materialize.

Mason's surrender to protective custody comes only 24 hours after the Director of Rehabilitaion had left Jaffna peninsula, legal society circles in Jaffna said.