Sri Lanka: Free Prominent Rights Defenders

Arrests of Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen are Attempts to Silence Critics

Enlarge Ruki Fernando speaks to members of the media during a press conference in Manila on April 15, 2009 2009 Getty Ima es Human Rights Council members should demand the immediate release of Fernando and Father Praveen and be clear that this will not deter them from adopting a necessary resolution on Sri Lanka. he arrest of these human rights defenders shows !ust how important it is for the international community to stand up for human rights in Sri Lanka. !rad Adams" Asia director MARCH 17, 2014 #$e% &ork' ( )he ar*itrary arrest and detention of prominent human ri hts defenders is an

attempt to silence criticism and divert the spotli ht from on oin a*uses" leadin Asian human ri hts monitors said today in a +oint statement,

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)he statement %as issued *y Amnesty International" Forum Asia" -uman Ri hts .atch" the International Crisis Group" and the International Commission of /urists, Ruki Fernando of the Colom*o0*ased I$F1R2 and Father Praveen 2ahesan" a Catholic priest" %ere arrested in 3ilinochchi on 2arch 45" and are *elieved to *e detained %ithout formal char es under Sri 6anka7s notoriously draconian Prevention of )errorism Act #P)A', 8)he Sri 6ankan authorities need to release Fernando and Father Praveen" and end the on oin state harassment of human ri hts defenders"9 said :avid Griffiths" Amnesty International7s deputy director for Asia Pacific, 8-o% can the international community take Sri 6anka7s claims to respect ri hts seriously %hen ri hts defenders continue to face intimidation and criminal char es for demandin accounta*ility and human ri hts protection;9 )he police )errorism Investi ation :ivision #)I:' detained and <uestioned Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen after they sou ht to ensure the %elfare of 4=0year0old !alendran >ithushaini" %ho had *een ordered into pro*ationary care follo%in the arrest of her mother" !alendran /eyakumari" on 2arch 4=, !oth mother and dau hter are active opponents of enforced disappearances in Sri 6anka and have *een prominently featured in international media covera e of demonstrations *y families of the disappeared" most recently in /affna in $ovem*er 204= durin a visit *y !ritish Prime 2inister :avid Cameron, Fernando and Father Praveen %ere <uestioned separately in t%o different *uildin s for more than three hours *y several )I: officers, 6a%yers actin on their *ehalf %ere iven contradictory information a*out the arrests and the reasons for their detention, )he most recent information is that Fernando and Father Praveen have *een taken to police )errorism Investi ation :ivision head<uarters in Colom*o" and their la%yers are still seekin access to them, Fernando and Father Praveen have not *een char ed to date" *ut accordin to Sri 6ankan Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent A+ith Rohana" they %ill *e char ed %ith 8attemptin to create insta*ility amon communities9 and 8alle edly promotin separatism9 under the Prevention of )errorism Act, )he P)A has *een %idely critici?ed *y Sri 6ankan civil society" international monitorin or ani?ations" and @nited $ations *odies, In its report" Authority %ithout Accounta*ilityA )he Crisis of Impunity in Sri 6anka" the International Commission of /urists documents ho% provisions of the P)A have resulted in ar*itrary detention" contravened suspects7 ri ht to a fair trial and due process" and facilitated torture and other ill0treatment and enforced disappearances, )he human ri hts roups said that the arrests are particularly distur*in since a resolution on Sri 6anka7s failure to address accounta*ility is under discussion and %ill *e voted on soon at

the on oin -uman Ri hts Council #@$-RC' sessions in Geneva, )he international community has lon called for Sri 6anka to take meanin ful steps to end its culture of impunity, 8)his on oin campai n of reprisals a ainst those speakin out a ainst human ri hts violations sho%s the eBtent of the overnment7s impunity"9 said Sam Carifi" Asia director at the International Commission of /urists, 8)he international community" throu h its votin at the -uman Ri hts Council" must +ud e Sri 6anka not *y its promises" *ut *y its actions,9 In spite of t%o prior resolutions *y the @$-RC in 2042 and 204=" Sri 6anka has taken no measura*le steps to%ards ensurin +ustice for the victims of its civil %ar" and has instead launched an a ressive campai n a ainst those %ho advocate for accounta*ility, -uman ri hts defenders" activists" +ournalists" and civil society mem*ers %ho are critical of the overnment have re ularly *een threatened and harassed, )hose %ho have an international profile" such as Fernando" face particular overnment hostility, 8Sri 6ankan authorities systematically clamp do%n on those %ho seek to reach out to the international community" especially around si nificant events such as the -uman Ri hts Council sessions or the Common%ealth -eads of Government 2eetin "9 said Dvelyn !alais0 Serrano" the eBecutive director of Forum0Asia, 8Instead of protectin human ri hts defenders" the latest arrests sho% the Sri 6ankan overnment is steppin up its a ressive stance to%ards those seekin +ustice and ans%ers,9 )he arrests also call into <uestion the Sri 6ankan overnment7s stated commitment to improvin respect for human ri hts since the end of the armed conflict %ith the 6i*eration )i ers of )amil Delam in 2009" the roups said, 8Arrestin peaceful activists kno%n for their %ork %ith victims of ri hts violations from all ethnic communities is not a %ay to *uild trust and restore relationships dama ed *y the %ar"9 said /onathan Prentice" the International Crisis Group7s chief policy officer, 8If sustaina*le peace is to *e more than an illusion" the ri hts of Sri 6anka7s victims and human ri hts defenders to speak freely and safely must *e protected,9 )he or ani?ations stressed that Fernando and Father Praveen should *e iven full ri hts %hile they remain in detention, @nder international la%" includin the International Covenant on Civil and Political Ri hts" to %hich Sri 6anka is a state party" people deprived of their li*erty must *e promptly informed of the reasons for their detention" *e iven prompt and re ular access to la%yers" and *e promptly *rou ht *efore a +ud e or +udicial officer, )he ri hts or ani?ations pointed out that Sri 6anka7s security forces have a %ell0documented history of custodial torture, -uman Ri hts .atch7s 204= report" 8E.e .ill )each &ou a 6esson7A SeBual >iolence a ainst )amils *y Sri 6ankan Security Forces"9 documented seBual violence and other torture *y the )I: and other security forces, 8-uman Ri hts Council mem*ers should demand the immediate release of Fernando and Father Praveen and *e clear that this %ill not deter them from adoptin a necessary resolution

on Sri 6anka"9 said !rad Adams" Asia director at -uman Ri hts .atch, 8)he arrest of these human ri hts defenders sho%s +ust ho% important it is for the international community to stand up for human ri hts in Sri 6anka,9 Si ned *yA Amnesty International F1R@20ASIA International Commission of /urists International Crisis Group -uman Ri hts .atch