Death threats were made over the phone to another member of the Election Commission, M.M. Muhammad, to resign from his position.
This is the second occasion where such threats have been made; the first was when two members of the Election Commission, S.B. Divaratna and K.P.P. Pathirana, were told to resign from their positions. Those threats were also made over the phone.
On the 18th, the member of the commission, S.B. Divaratne, received death threats. Yesterday (the 27th), Diwaratne received a text message via WhatsApp and was threatened with death. Last night, phone calls were received from the same number once again, but when he did not respond, a text message was forwarded.
All these death threats are against the backdrop that the Criminal Investigation Department has initiated investigations into the first incident and after providing police protection in connection with the death threats against the members of the Commission.
The only female member of the Election Commission, P. S. M. Charles, has decided to resign from the commission without giving any reason.
In a press conference held today, Rohana Hettiarachchi, executive director of PAFFAREL, stated that these threats were made through WhatsApp using the same phone number.
