Sri Lanka: Unidentified Motorcyclists Follow BASL President Again!

Lodging another complaint with Thalangama police BASL president Upul Jayasuriya alleged that two unidentified motorcyclists had also hovered around his house located at Thalangama. According to his complaint, the suspicious behaviour of two motorcyclists had been spotted by his neighbors on July 15 and 17. The complaint in this regard had been registered on July 18 with Thalangama police.

Sri Lanka: Prosecute Gnanasara Thera, BASL tells Attorney General

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has called on the Attorney General Palitha Fernando to prosecute the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Galabodaaththe Gnanasara Thera,  for leading violent attacks on the Muslims of Authgama  last month resulting in the loss of life and property.

Lawyers Collective condemns move to intimidate the President of the BASL and calls for an impartial investigation

Mr. Upul Jayasuriya, the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has been followed by an unidentified group (a motor bicycle and a three wheeler)  today (15th July 2014) for  hours. Mr Jayasuriya has been a strong leader of the Bar who has spoken strongly and fearlessly against the breach of Rule of Law, abuse of constitutional norms and erosion of democracy in Sri Lanka.  Mr. Jayasuriya has made a formal complaint at the Kurunduwatta Police station (Colombo 7)  around 5.00 p.m. today,  in this regard.

Sri Lanka: Unidentified motorcyclists follow Bar Association President's vehicle

President of the Sri Lanka Bar Association Upul Jayasuriya has lodged a complain at the cinnamon garden police saying a group of unindentified people who came in two motorcycles and a three wheeler followed his vehicle today. Jayasuriya has told the Cinnamon Garden police that the incident posed a threat to his personal security. A spokesperson from the police department told Asian Mirror that they were investigating into the incident.

Sri Lanka: BASL slams MOD circular to NGOs

MOD letterSri Lanka’s leading lawyers collective has slammed the circular issued to Non-Governmental Organisations by the National Secretariat for NGOs, under the Ministry of Defense and Urban Development. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says the said circular violates fundamental principles that govern Sri Lanka’s free and democratic society, which is guaranteed by the constitution.

Friday Forum backs BASL proposal calling for credible investigations in to deaths in police custody

Deaths in Police Custody

Media Release/ 24^th June 2014          

The Friday Forum has urged the Inspector General of Police to respond as a matter of urgency to the current public concern, including that of the Bar Council, on the deaths that are taking place in police custody. A particularly shocking recent incident involves the death of a 17year old minor after assault in police custody.

Deaths in police custody are ‘blatant’ lies; Bar Association demands a Commission of Inquiry covering last three years

IGP Ilangakoon: Murder suspect?

The Standing Committee of the Rule of Law of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has issued a strong statement condemning the death of criminal suspects in police custody saying that the ``acceptance of such blatant manifest untruths has made a mockery of the administration of justice in the country.’’

Commenting on the series of deaths of persons in police custody as suspects over the commission of criminal offences, the statement says: ``It is an insult to the intelligence of our people if the police expect the people to believe these fantasy stories about attacks on them (the police) by suspects while in custody and handcuffed.’’

Sri Lanka - BASL to AG: Take punitive action against BBS fast; ‘... impunity must end in the larger interest of people of this country.’

BBS thuggery at a Press con

Alleging that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has brought the country and Buddhism into disrepute, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has urged Attorney General Palitha Fernando, PC to take remedial measures immediately. 

President of the Bar Association, Upul Jayasuriya said that law enforcement authorities had failed in their duty, therefore the AG should intervene without further delay.

BASL President tells the parachuted SC judge Priyantha Jayawardena, this is how it should be, my Load!

Upul Jayasuriya

''Since 2000 you have been at the private Bar. You have been a visiting Lecture at the University of Moratuwa. You have been a consultant to Sri Lanka Insurance and several government institutes. You have also been appointed a Member on several Government statutory boards.
It is with this environment, that your Lordship has been appointed to the Supreme Court from the Private Bar.''

Upul Jayasuriya, the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: BASL demands end to military involvement in police functions

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has requested the government not to extend the validity of gazette notification 1817/331, whereby the armed forces may be called out to maintain public order in all parts of the country.
"The said Gazette appears unnecessary, disproportionate and imprudent and could lead to great abuse as was evident from the serious incidents that transpired at Rathupaswala, Weliweriya in August this year", it said.

Sri Lanka: Death of 3 suspects in Po;ice custody; another case of extra judicial killings - BASL

Dead body of a killed suspect

The explanation given by the police regarding the death of three suspects who were under police custody arrested in connection with the killing of a police officer and his wife at Kamburupitiya, is unacceptable and the whole incident smells of another case of extra judicial killing.
 The explanation that the 1st suspect arrested was killed by police firing when the suspect (was hand cuffed) tried to pick up a weapon to shoot at the police officer, when the suspect was taken to recover the weapons used in the crime and the explanation given regarding the deaths of the two suspects attested few days later that the suspects have fled from police custody (hand cuffed), and jumped into the Denagama tank is hilarious. The circumstances surrounding the death of these suspects need investigation by a special commission.

Weliweriya Killings: BASL wants Army probe scrapped

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed strong opposition to the investigations conducted by the Army into the Weliweriya incident on 1 August, where three persons were killed.
They also requested Gampaha Chief Magistrate, Tikiri Jayatilleke, to call off all investigations conducted by the Army, alleging that they are in the blame for the three deaths.

Entire Ex-Co of BASL to appear on behalf of CJ 43 .

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at a special meeting today decided that the entire Executive Committee would appear before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court to defend Chief Justice 43, Shirani Bandaranayake who is accused of non- declaration of assets.

The judiciary must be totally free from executive pressure or influence and must be fiercely independent: BASL President

Mr. Jayasuriya

Some weeks ago, when a ceremonial sitting was held to welcome the new Supreme Court judge Rohini Perera-Marasinghe, the BASL President was not invited. This, lawyers say, is a breach of time-honoured traditions because normally it is the BASL that welcomes a new judge to the superior courts and sends out the invitations. But in the aftermath of the crisis of the independence of the judiciary, it appears that this tradition has been overturned by the Supreme Court but the Court of Appeal stuck to the tradition and invited the BASL President Upul Jayasuriya and requested him to ceremonially welcome the new judge Malini Gunatatne. Excerpts from Mr. Jayasuriya’s speech.

Attack on the Temple of Justice and on religious freedoms:The combination of the two at present is both a time-bomb waiting to go off and a cancer spreading to other areas at the same time.

The BASL convocation ( photo - Sunday Times)

Shirani Bandaranayake attended the Annual Convocation of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in Colombo on March 30, 2013. She was invited as the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Mohan Pieris, the 44th Chief Justice, was not invited. Attorney General Palitha Fernando came to the venue but left before proceedings began.

BASL convocation : De jure Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka presides , while Mohan Peiris, the De Facto Chief Justice, was not invited.

Shirani Bandaranayake attended the Annual Convocation of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in Colombo on March 30, 2013. She was invited as the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka

Update from Lawyers Collective on Historic Convocation of BASL
Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) held a historic convocation and inducted its newly elected President Upul Jayasuriya, today at Nava Rangahala. De jure Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka was among the special guests, who graced the occasion, while Mohan Peiris, the De Facto Chief Justice, was not invited.