Court seeks explanation from AG for video taping Tamil residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 00:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, in response to a complaint filed by the petitioner in a fundamental rights violation case, Monday, directed the Attorney General to appear on Tuesday and submit his explanation for video taping a group of Tamil civilians in Muhathuwaaram in Colombo on July 2 after they were taken to an open space following a cordon and search operation, legal sources said.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court with the Chief Justice Sarath Silva presiding made the direction when the FR petition filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), an ally of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse, against the indiscriminate arrest of Tamil people in Colombo came up for further inquiry Monday, legal sources said.

Senior Counsel M.A.Sumenthiran for the petitioner submitted to court that video taping Tamil civilian is violation of fundamental rights enshrined in Sri Lanka's constitution.

The counsel further brought to the notice of the court that he earlier made a complaint against the Muhathuwaaram Police instructing all Tamil residents of the area to submit their bank accounts to the police for scrutiny.

Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunge commented in open court that videoing civilians could be considered a serious violation of the fundamental rights.

Justice K.Sripavan was the third member of the SC bench.

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