The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court today (09), challenging the arrest of people under quarantine regulations.
This move comes after several protesters were arrested after the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena banned protests on Tuesday (6), citing a threat to public health owing to the potential for the spread of Covid-19.
The petitioners alleged that the police are using these quarantine guidelines to continue the crackdown on peaceful protests and to make unjust arrests of those involved.
Accordingly, they have sought the Supreme Court to rule that the conduct of the police is in violation of the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
Meanwhile, responding to the alleged forced quarantine of Trade Union members who were released on bail by the Colombo Magistrate Court last evening (8), the United National Party (UNP) stated that the Quarantine Act does not allow for such action.
“The attempt to detain these individuals is against the laws of the country,” the UNP said.
Accordingly, the UNP condemned such actions and urged authorities to act according to the laws of the country.
SJB’s General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP Harshana Rajakaruna and MP Mayantha Dissanayake had filed separate FR petitions before the Supreme Court.
The Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of Health Services, the Health Minister and the Attorney General have been named as the respondents of these petitions.