The Ceylon Teacher’s Union yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking a declaration that attempts by police and Health Authorities to prevent protests using Quarantine Regulations violate people’s Fundamental Rights.
This petition had been filed by President of Ceylon Teacher’s Union S. Priyantha Fernando naming IGP Chandana Wickremaratne, Director General of Health Services Asela Gunawardena, Health Minister Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi and the Attorney General as respondents. The petitioner said the protestors gathered at Battaramulla junction on the 8th of July, against the proposed Kotelawala Defence Academy Bill.
The petitioner stated that around 11 a.m., a group of Police 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 were then forcibly taken to a quarantine centre in Mullaitivu without any presence of the health authority or antigen test or PCR test. The petitioner stated that police requested an order from the Magistrate to send them to a quarantine centre but it was rejected by the Magistrate.
The petitioner states that they have been made aware of a letter dated 6.7.2021 bearing number PMD/PR/845/21 titled “Conducting various protests creating a health hazard” issued by the Police Media Division to all media entities, concerning 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 under the Constitution have been infringed by the respondents.
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