BASL wants Minister arrested; Courts come to a halt as lawyers protest

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at a meeting with the Attorney General had requested that necessary action be taken to arrest the Minister and other suspects who were involved in a mob attack targeting the Mannar Courts complex.

BASL President Wijedasa Rajapakse PC said that he met the Attorney General at his office and requested him to take necessary action to arrest the persons involved in the incident, including the Government Minister.

Rajapakse said all lawyers in the country decided to refrain from carrying out their duties at Courts yesterday in protest against the mob attack at the Mannar Courts complex. Rajapakse said that the BASL had taken a decision to file a contempt of court case against the persons who were involved in the incident.

Work in all Courts in the country came to standstill yesterday after the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and Judges Associations decided to refrain from carrying out their normal duties in protest against allegedly threatening the Mannar Magistrate by a Minister and attacking the Mannar Court complex.

Accordingly, judicial activities at all Courts in the country came to a standstill and most of the cases were postponed for 23 July. Meanwhile, the Lawyers Association attached to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court hailed the Mannar Magistrate A. Judeson for his action to withstand political intervention.

The Chairman of the association, Attorney-at-Law R.A.P. Ranawaka said lawyers in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court took a decision to praise the Magistrate who bravely acted amidst political intervention. He further said that the association also decided to make a request from other judges in the country to act in the same manner as the Mannar Magistrate did.

Ranawaka further said that lawyers were requesting the arrest of all the suspects who were involved in the incident and warned that lawyers would turn to alternative action if the authorities failed to take necessary action. Association Secretary Attorney-at-Law Pradeep Gamage requested the public not to join with politicians who instigate the public to be violent. He further observed that the time has come to safeguard the independency of the Judiciary since it is the final resort of the public.