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| Ruki Fernando- A well known HRD |
Sri Lanka Brief Alert /Issued at 19.00 GMT 16 March 2014
At around 10.05 pm Sri Lanka time on Sunday 06thMarch 2014 , we were informed by Ruki Fernando, from his mobile number 00 94 773874160
00 94 773874160 stating that Ruki and Rev. Praveen have been detained at the Killnochchi police station, North of Sri Lanka. Later we were informed via text, that he and father Praveen were being questioned separately.
00 94 773874160 stating that Ruki and Rev. Praveen have been detained at the Killnochchi police station, North of Sri Lanka. Later we were informed via text, that he and father Praveen were being questioned separately. Ruki Fernando (Human Rights adviser, INFORM, Human Rights Documentation Centre based in Colombo) and Rev. Praveen OMI (Director of the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (CPR) based in Jaffna) were visiting the area after arrest of Human Rights Defender Balendran Jaykumari and her 13 year daughter by the police on 15th March 2014.
It was reported that area is heavily militarised after the shooting and arrest made yesterday.
A Vavunia based lawyer, who called the Killinochchi police station soon after the arrest became known, was informed that no such persons were arrested by the Killinochchi police or being held at the police station. However the police said that two persons had been arrested by a specially appointed unit of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) and were being held at a separate location in Killinochchi.
Another lawyer based in Vavunia who called the Killinochchi police, was informed that Ruki Fernando and Rev. Praveen were being questioned by around 15 TID officers at the Killinochchi Police station. It seems both of them are detained by TID.
The National Human Rights Commission has also been informed that both persons are being held at the police station.
Lakshan Dias, a lawyer from Colombo who spoke to the OIC Killinochchi Mr. Kumara was informed that Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen were being questioned and a decision regarding their continued detention would be made in the morning. Kilinochchi police told him that Ruki Fernando and Rev Praveen behave in a suspicious manner as they visited some families of and those who lost family members.
Please call Sri Lanka Embassy in your country to express your concerns and Police in Kilinochchi
Phone Numbers of Kilinochchi police:
00 94 21228546700 94 212285467 – General line
00 94 212285467 – General line
00 94 21228545700 94 212285457– Mr. Kumara OIC
00 94 212285457– Mr. Kumara OIC