Police is misusing the ICCPR Act: MP Bimal Ratnayake Prevents establishing peace and harmony among communities

By Yohan Perera and ajith Siriwardana   

The police is misusing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act and thus preventing the establishment of peace and harmony among people of different races and religions which is the very purpose of this legislation, JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said yesterday.   

MP Ratnayake urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to take measures to make the police aware of the true purpose of the ICCPR Act to avoid
such instances.   

“There have been several instances where the police were misusing the ICCPR Act at an alarming rate. In one such instance, a writer was remanded for a long period of time. Then a woman was remanded for months concerning a dress she was wearing. Recently, there was a similar case in Trincomalee where a female was arrested over a saree she was wearing. I would like to point out to the Prime Minister the necessity of raising awareness on the ICCPR Act. This Act was brought forward to counter extremism. However, now it is pushing people towards extremism. This should be dealt with,”MP Ratnayake said.   

MP Ratnayake also questioned if the Prime Minister had taken measures to open a Sinhala Department of the National Institute of Education in the Northern Province. “The Sinhala Department which trained Sinhala teachers was closed down during the crisis period. Over a year or so ago, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe promised to reopen this department,” Rathnayake added.