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Detention of youth under PTA: Police say no evidence against him
View(s):The Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (9) questioned police over the arrest and detention of a youth under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), after police admitted they had no evidence against him and requested bail.
Mohamed Rifai Mohamed Suhail, a 21-year-old aviation student, was arrested nine months ago for allegedly pasting an anti-Israeli sticker. At the time, police claimed they had sufficient evidence to justify detention under the PTA. However, on Wednesday, the Officer-in-Charge of the Dehiwala Police informed the court they had “no objection” to granting bail as they had “found no evidence” against him.
Magistrate Hemali Halpandeniya expressed her discontent and questioned why Suhail had been held under the PTA for so long without evidence. Police were unable to respond. Police initially claimed Suhail had pasted the anti-Israeli sticker and arrested him in October 2024 near the Israeli consular premises in Dehiwala for not carrying his national identity card. He was then re-arrested shortly after his release by the court, this time under the PTA, based on an Instagram post showing the Israeli flag being trampled.
The Magistrate rejected the police’s bail request, stating that the court has no power to grant bail under the PTA. She questioned why police, who had known how to arrest him under the PTA, were unaware that the court could not issue bail without instructions from the Attorney General.
Although police claimed they had submitted a legal report to the AG’s Department on May 27, no instructions had been received as yet.
She instructed police to return to court on July 15 with advice from the Attorney General and ordered that Suhail be produced in person.
Senior counsel Geethma Fernando, appearing alongside Irfham Ahamed and Mohammed Farsan, questioned the legitimacy of Suhail’s detention.
“The suspect was arrested and released by this court. Why was he arrested again in Mawanella on the way home, and indicated he was arrested in Dehiwala again and held? This is extremely unfair and unjustified,” he said.
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