Supreme Court orders student examined

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 August 2001, 21:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Wednesday ordered that Jaffna University Student Krishnasamy Thiviyan should be subjected to medical examination by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO). A three member bench presided by Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva and comprising Justice Shiranee A.Bandaranaike and Justice P.Edussuriya issued the order when a fundamental rights application filed on behalf of Thiviyan was taken up for inquiry. Sri Lanka’s Attorney General and the General Officer Commanding of the Sri Lanka Army, Jaffna district have been cited as the respondents in the application.

Counsel A.Vinayagamoorthy for the petitioner submitted to court that Thiviyan was subjected to severe torture after the arrest by SLA soldiers. He made an application that Colombo JMO should submit a report to court after the examination.

The Supreme Court madethe order accordingly and instructed the respondents to submit the medical report on the next date. Further hearing was fixed for October 30.

The Sri Lankan security forces arrested Thiviyan on 2 July this year at Kondavil north of Jaffna town. He is now being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on the orders of Jaffna Magistrate.

Following mass agitation by Tamil students in the Tamil dominated northeast region, demanding the release of Thiviyan, the SLA transferred him from their custody to the police. Thereafter Police produced Thiviyan before Jaffna Magistrate. The students had told the court that he was tortured by troops whilst in detention.