Former UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake yesterday sought Court’s permission to travel abroad and his request will be considered on April 3 by Colombo High Court.
Filing a motion before High Court Judge Wikum Kaluarachchi, Tissa Attanayake requested that he be allowed to travel to Australia to see his daughter.
Tissa Attanayake’s passport has been impounded by Court for allegedly displaying a fraudulent document to the media during the last Presidential Election for the purpose of affecting the result of then Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama informed Court that the Attorney General's opinion regarding this request will be informed on the next hearing date. President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appeared for the accused.
On October 19, 2017, Tissa Attanayake was remanded until December 5 for allegedly displaying a fraudulent document to the media during the last Presidential Election by inciting racial or religious hatred among communities. He is currently out on bail.
The accused had been charged under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No. 56 of 2007. This is the first time in Sri Lanka an accused had been indicted in the High Court by the Attorney General over an offence that comes under the ICCPR Act.
The Attorney General alleged that Tissa Attanayake had publicly announced on December 22, 2014 that there was a secret agreement between then Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The Attorney General alleged Tissa Attanayake committed an offence under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No. 56 of 2007 by inciting racial or religious hatred among communities.
Section 3(1) of the ICCPR cites that no person shall propagate war or advocate national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to cause discrimination, hostility or violence.
The AG alleged that Tissa Attanayake had committed a punishable offence under Sections 454 and 459 of the Penal Code by forging a document and displaying it to the public as genuine and that the accused had also committed an offence under Section 80-C of the Presidential Election Act for displaying a fake document prior to an election, for the purpose of affecting the result of the election in relation to the personal character or conduct of any candidate.
The AG has listed 15 persons, including President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as witnesses in the case.
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