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Activist lawyer Senaka Perera summoned by CID

06 Jun 2022

  • Protest planned in front of CID today
By Dinitha Rathnayake Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera, who is the head of the People’s Lawyers Association and an active member of the “GotaGoGama” protest site at Galle Face, has been summoned to appear before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today (6). Speaking to The Morning, Perera said that the reason for the summons is still unknown, and did not receive an official written notification from the CID about being summoned for questioning, nor was a legal document provided. Meanwhile, a protest is also set to take place in front of the CID today to demand justice for the peaceful protestors and against intimidation. The Lawyers’ Forum for the People also filed a complaint at the National Authority for the protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses (NAPVCW) against re-victimising victims of the attacks by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters on the protest sites of “MynaGoGama” in front of Temple Trees in Kollupitiya and “GotaGoGama” in Galle Face. The complaint was filed under the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act No. 4 of 2015. Further, Rev. Amila Jeewantha Peiris, who is an active member of “GotaGoGama”, and six other plaintiffs who supported the peaceful protest, were banned from travelling abroad, as the CID sought and obtained a court order to ban foreign travel for these individuals. Peiris said: “Myself and six other plaintiffs who supported the peaceful protest were banned from travelling abroad, and were ordered to hand over our passports to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court immediately, following an order issued in this regard.”  This order has been issued for further investigations into the complaint lodged by Peiris and other parties regarding the attack on the Galle Face peaceful protest site on 9 May. “Clearly, this is intimidation to show what happens to those who challenge the Government and the politicians. We lodged our complaint against the Ministers who were involved in this attack, but the CID has summoned us. This is a human rights violation and the first time ever to ban the foreign travel of victims.” Meanwhile, The Morning exclusively reported last month that protestors at the “GotaGoGama” sites in Minuwangoda and Kurunegala have alleged that attempts are being made to intimidate peaceful protestors on the instructions of Minister of Urban Development and Housing and Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga, and former Minister of Highways, former Chief Government Whip, and incumbent MP Johnston Fernando. Speaking to The Morning on 18 May, protestors at the “GotaGoGama” in Minuwangoda claimed that SLPP supporters are attempting to bait protestors at the site.


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