The Ceylon Teacher’s Union today filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking a declaration that attempts by police and Health Authorities to prevent protests using quarantine regulations violate the fundamental rights of the people.
This petition filed by President of Ceylon Teacher’s Union S. Priyantha Fernando cited IGP Chandana Wickremaratne, Director General of Health Services Asela Gunawardena, Health Minister Pavithra Devi Wanniaarachi and Attorney General as respondents.
The petitioner said the protestors gathered at Battaramulla junction on the 8th of July against the proposed Kotalawela Defence Academy Bill.
According to the petitioner, that around 11 am, a group of policemen used excessive force to disperse the protestors and arrested the corpus together with around 30 persons.
The petitioner stated that the protestors who were released on bail by Colombo Magistrate, then forcibly taken to quarantine centre in Mullaitivu without any presence of the health authority or antigen test or PCR tests conducted on them.
The petitioner stated, that police requested an order from Magistrate to send them to a quarantine centre, but it was rejected by the Magistrate.
The petitioner state that they have been made aware of a letter dated 6.7.2021 bearing the number PMD/PR/845/21 titled “Conducting various protests by creating a health hazard” issued by the Police Media Division to all media entities, connected to a letter bearing No. DDG (PHS)1/DO2/7/13/2017/20 of the Director-General of Health Services.
The petitioner is seeking a declaration that the Petitioners’ fundamental rights under Articles 12(1), 13, 14(1)(a), 14(1)(b) and 14(1)(c) guaranteed by the Constitution infringed by the respondents.
