Cabinet this week granted approval to prepare another draft Bill to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Act No 2 of 2013.
The amendment which speaks of a Bill to provide provisions for securing the right of detainees was drafted in 2016 but was later withdrawn due to civil society objections against the proposals.
One of the more controversial aspects was that the amendment would deprive suspects access to lawyers until their statements were recorded- a violation of a suspect’s fundamental rights.
A new committee comprising the Sri Lanka Bar Association and Attorney General’s Department was also appointed to prepare a more acceptable draft.Minister of Justice and Buddhasasana, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe thus received Cabinet approval on Tuesday to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft the new legislation in this regard and publish it in the gazette and subsequently presented to Parliament for approval.
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