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Detention of Hejaaz Hizbullah arbitrary and unlawful: LAWASIA
View(s):LAWASIA, the law association for Asia and the Pacific, expressed deep concern over the arbitrary and unlawful arrest and prolonged detention of prominent Sri Lankan human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah for months without being produced before the Court.
LAWASIA called on the Government to release Mr Hizbullah and to ensure that it meets its obligation to protect Mr Hizbullah’s work as a lawyer and his right against arbitrary detention.
Issuing a statement on the arrest, the regional legal body noted that to date, Mr Hizbullah had not been formally charged.
“There appears to be a lack of due process in relation to the circumstances of his arrest and detention. We understand that during his arrest, key due process provisions within the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) were not complied with, and several of his case files were seized, which, if true, amounts to a severe impingement of attorney-client privilege,” the statement issued by Chunghwan Choi, President of LAWASIA stressed.
Throughout his detention, the outfit noted that Mr Hizbullah has been denied meaningful access to his lawyers and family. He continues to be detained at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarter in Colombo, without any credible evidence being put before a court, and the order detaining him was renewed on October 14.
“The Sri Lankan Government must ensure Mr Hizbullah has unfettered access to legal counsel. Without further evidence, we consider there is no justification for keeping Mr Hizbullah in detention for such a long period, particularly during a pandemic, and LAWASIA calls on the Sri Lankan Government to ensure that he is released. The Sri Lankan Government must ensure that it respects the Rule of Law, and not Rule by Law,” the statement said