Wasantha Mudalige has wrongly been held in detention for 150 days under draconian anti-terror law, they say
Wasantha Mudalige (Photo: Wasantha Mudalige Facebook page)
Seven national and international human rights groups have urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately release prominent student activist, Wasantha Mudalige, who has been arbitrarily detained under a draconian anti-terrorism law since last August for anti-government protests.
Mudalige, 29, was detained on orders signed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), along with 19 others.
The activist must be released immediately, and the draconian law should be repealed, rights groups said in a joint statement on Jan. 16.
“The authorities have targeted Mudalige in the past for his activism. On Aug. 3, 2021, he was arrested and has been jailed for more than three months after protesting for the right to free education,” the statement said.
“The government granted sweeping powers to the security forces”
The statement was signed by Amnesty International, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Frontline Defenders, Human Rights Watch, the International Working Group on Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice.
The repressive law was formulated in 1979 as a temporary counterterrorism measure. However, in recent times the government has exploited it to target activists, journalists, critics, and minorities including Tamils and Muslims, rights groups allege.
The law allows up to one year in detention without charge on the orders of the defense minister, the post currently held by President Wickremesinghe.
A bail petition hearing for Mudalige was scheduled to be held at Hulftsdorp Magistrates Court on Jan. 17. Rights groups said the activist was unlikely to get bail if the Attorney General’s Department opposed it.
Mudalige is among numerous activists and protesters arrested in the island nation since the Sri Lankan government began a crackdown on the anti-government movement that flared up last year amid the country’s worst economic crisis.
The government granted sweeping powers to the security forces that used unnecessary and excessive force to disperse demonstrations and arrest hundreds of people, including many students.
“It continues to be used and human rights are violated”
Many of those detained have since been released on bail. However, Mudalige, the convenor of the Inter-University Students’ Federation and prominent activist who played a key role in the protests, has been put behind bars despite the government failing to produce any evidence of his involvement in terrorism, the rights groups said.
He has been held in solitary confinement and in poor conditions, which violates the international human rights law that prohibits torture or ill-treatment of prisoners.
He fell sick in December and required hospital treatment for breathing difficulties. His family and his lawyer have expressed concern for his safety and his health in detention. On Oct. 4, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka issued a notice calling for the police to protect Mudalige while in custody.
The draconian law has faced heavy international censure including from the European Union and successive governments promised to repeal the PTA and replace it with legislation that respects rights. Yet, it continues to be used and human rights are violated.
“The Sri Lankan authorities should immediately impose a moratorium on the use of the PTA, and promptly repeal it,” the groups said.
“The authorities should immediately review the detention of anyone held under the PTA, ensuring adequate access to fair bail hearings. They should also release all protesters facing charges that do not meet international standards.”
The Sri Lankan government should fully respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, they added.
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