SL Supreme Court allows videofilming during search operations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 10:22 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarath Silvan has allowed the Sri Lankan 'security' establishment to video residents of 'all communities' during the cordon and search operations. The Sri Lankan Chief Justice issued the directive Tuesday following the explanation by the State Counsel appearing for the Attorney General in a fundamental rights violation case filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) against the indiscriminate arrests of Tamils in Colombo that it is tantamount to violating fundamental rights of Tamils. Members of law enforcement authority could continue video filming of persons in search operation irrespective of racial, religious and other differences.

The counsel for the petitioner complained to the court that Mukaththuvaaram Police had video filmed only Tamils on July 2 in a cordon and search operation. The SC directed the Attorney General to appear on the next day in open court to submit his explanation on the complaint.

Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando appeared Tuesday in court on behalf of the Attorney General and made submission that police had video filmed persons of all communities and not of a particular community during the cordon and search operation on the particular day. The police had video filmed 412 Sinhalese, 295 Muslims and 673 Tamils on that day, he said.

Hence the three member-bench of the Supreme Court expressed its opinion that there was nothing wrong when members of all communities had been subjected to video filming.

The SC bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath Silva (Chairman), and Justices Nimal Gamini Amaratunge and K.Sripavan.

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