The Prevention of Terrorism Act will not come into play when dealing with the 28 students arrested by the police yesterday during a protest march in Colombo organised by the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF). Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene said.
The Prime minister gave this assurance in Parliament in response to a question by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.
The Opposition leader raised a question in Parliament and demanded a statement from the Prime Minister on whether or not the 25 student activists who were arrested yesterday would be subjected to detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
“They were protesting on the highway. Their political right The right to speak. ” No public or private property was damaged. Premadasa said.
This is a very unfortunate situation. Did you forget that there is going to be a Geneva conference this September? Have you forgotten that the Human Rights Commission is debating Sri Lanka?
We do not want to put our country at risk. But how can we help a government indulging in this kind of brutality? This is a kind of state terrorism. Do not do this, Mr Prime Minister. It sends out the wrong signals to the world. At least you should advise the government not to do these things. The government is asking for trouble.
Please act responsibly and declare that these twenty-five people will not be slapped with Detention Orders. At the same time, please steer clear of violence.
In response, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the government would protect the democratic rights of the people and that was what the government was doing.
“If anyone has been arrested, we have been informed that there is no intention of taking them into custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.”
It is the responsibility of the police to deal with people causing public obstruction and public agitation. There may have been certain individual steps taken under the common law against those causing havoc. Because the police are bound to protect law and order.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena added.
