Azath Salley 'affidavit' illegal - Vickramabahu Karunarathne

Azath Salley was arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and he has been now released due to the campaign for his release by national and international democratic forces.
The unlawful arrest and detention of Azath was thus defeated though he has been a vocal critic of the extremist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and the anti–Muslim activities of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), and had been actively involved in efforts to initiate legal action against both groups.

SRI LANKA: Two testimonies on enforced self paralysis

Lal Wickrematunge, the brother of the assassinated editor of the Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, and until very recently the owner of Leader Publications, spoke yesterday to the BBC Sinhala Service. He stated that it is dangerous today to be engaged in publication work in Sri Lanka. Giving views other than the government's version of things is almost impossible. Under the present conditions media personnel are afraid to engage in free reporting.

Azath Salley released after he submits affidavit stating he had nothing to do with terrorism

This is what Azad Salley wrote at the end of D order

Former Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Azath Salley, was released yesterday afternoon, ending his eight-day detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

President Mahinda Rajapaksa revoked the controversial detention order under which the Muslim politician was held after Salley submitted an affidavit to the President in which he denied having supported or advocated any group to take up arms against the country.

Sri Lanka Today: Due Process & Civil Liberties or Security State?

 Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka 

“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
‘The Second Coming’, WB Yeats (1919)
Must the Sri Lankan citizenry accept or acquiesce in the sacrifice, even in peacetime, of due process and civil liberties at the altar of an absolutist model of security?

Azad Salley conspired to mobilize Sri Lankan Muslims for an armed struggle - Defence Secretary

In a damning revelation, powerful Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has stated Muslim politician Azath Salley was arrested as he conspired to mobilize Sri Lankan Muslims for an armed struggle along with a Tamil group in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to our sister paper, Rajapaksa said intelligence agencies have uncovered evidence against Salley, who had been held in detention under a controversial detention order obtained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Repeal of the PTA and if necessary enact legislation that is consistent with international standards - CPA

With the recent arrest and detention of opposition politician Azath Salley, Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has once again come under critical scrutiny. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and other civil society groups have condemned the use of the PTA to stifle dissent and reiterate this call yet again, urging for its repeal and replacement as set out below.

Detention order of President Rajapaksha to detain Azad Salley for 3 months

The detention order for Muslim politician Azad Sally was singed by the president Rajapaksha on the imaginary grounds of humiliation  the government and create religious disharmony .. read the detention order:

Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) will not be repealed - Govt

The government yesterday ruled out the possibility of repealing the Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) despite requests by opposition political parties.
In response to a question by Opposition United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne told Parliament that though the LTTE was militarily defeated, there were attempts to revamp the organisation in different parts of the world.

Condemn the Unlawful Arrest and Detention of Azath Salley and Call for his Immediate Release

Public Statement / 7 May, 2013
We the undersigned, vehemently condemn the arrest and detention of Former Deputy  Mayor and General Secretary of the National Unity Alliance (NUA), Azath Salley, by a team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID), on Thursday, 2 May 2013 morning, and call for his immediate release in the absence of any demonstrable evidence.