Release HRDs Ruki Fernando and Fr.

Praveen
form Sri Lankan Police custody - Observatory

M o n d a y, M a r c h 1 7 , 2 0 1 4
''The Observatory condemns the arrest and judicial harassment of
Mr. Ruki Fernando, Rev. Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari, which seem to merely
aim at sanctioning their peaceful human rights activities, and calls upon the authorities of Sri
Lanka to release them immediately and unconditionally. ''
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
LKA 001 / 0314 / OBS 019
Arbitrary arrest /
Judicial harassment
Sri Lanka
March 17, 2014
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human
Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has received with concern information from reliable sources about the
arbitrary arrest and interrogation by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) of Mr. Ruki
Fernando, a human rights adviser to the human rights organisation INFORM, based in
Colombo, and Rev. Praveen Omi, former Director of the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation
(CPR) based in Jaffna.
According to the information received, on March 16, 2014, at around 10.30 pm, Mr. Ruki
Fernando and Rev. Praveen Omi were arrested by a specially appointed unit of the TID as they
were visiting the heavily militarised area of Kilinochchi, North of Sri Lanka, in order to
investigate into the arrest on March 13, 2014 of human rights defender Ms. Balendran
Jeyakumari and her 13-year old daughter Vithuskaini, who have been campaigning against
enforced disappearances. They were also arrested and interrogated by the TID. While
Vithuskaini was subsequently released, Ms. Jeyakumari continues to be held in Boosa detention
centre under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), under which a person can be held without
charge for up to 18 months.
Mr. Ruki Fernando and Rev. Praveen Omi were brought to the Kilinochchi police station,

which initially denied that the two defenders were detained there, before confirming the arrest.
The officer in charge (OIC) of the Kilinochchi police, Mr. Kumara, in particular confirmed the
arrest and further stated that Ruki Fernando and Rev. Praveen behaved in a suspicious manner
as they visited some families of those who have lost their family members. Mr. Ruki Fernando
and Rev. Praveen Omi were reportedly questioned separately for three hours by around 15 TID
officers at the Kilinochchi police station.
At around 1.30 am, Mr. Ruki Fernando and Rev. Praveen Omi left Kilinochchi police station
handcuffed and blindfolded, accompanied with TID officers, before being questioned in
Vavunia police station until 7.00 am on March 17, 2014.
On March 17, 2014, at 11 am, TID officers visited Mr. Ruki Fernando's parents to inform them
about his arrest. Mr. Fernandos parents were issued with a Notice of Arrest stating that he was
arrested by the TID on alleged acts of terrorism on March 16, 2014, in Kilinochchi. The notice
also stated that Mr. Fernando will be detained for further investigation on the 2nd floor of the
police New General Secretariat in Colombo. No information could be obtained on whether a
similar notice was issued to Fr. Praveens next of kin. At 1.30pm, TID Director informed one of
the lawyers that they were both brought to Colombo and were being held at the TID
headquarters.
Later in the day, police media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana announced that Mr. Ruki Fernando
and Rev, Praveen were first detained at the Kilinochchi police station under the PTA, before
being transferred to Vavuniya and then to Colombo for further questioning. They would
reportedly be charged with attempting to create ethnic discord among communities and to
promote separatism.
Yet, as of issuing this Urgent Appeal, no charges have been formally framed yet and there is
still no clear information on their current location. In addition, no lawyer has been allowed to
visit them.
The Observatory condemns the arrest and judicial harassment of Mr. Ruki Fernando, Rev.
Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari, which seem to merely aim at sanctioning their
peaceful human rights activities, and calls upon the authorities of Sri Lanka to release them
immediately and unconditionally.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in Sri Lanka, urging them to:

i.Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ruki
Fernando, Rev. Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari as well as of all human rights
defenders in Sri Lanka;
ii.Release Mr. Ruki Fernando, Rev. Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari

immediately and unconditionally since their detention is arbitrary and only aims at
sanctioning their human rights activities;
iii.Put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial level - against
Mr. Ruki Fernando, Rev. Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari and more
generally against all human rights defenders in Sri Lanka and ensure that they are
able to carry out their peaceful and legitimate activities without any hindrance and
fear of reprisals;
iv.Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,
adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998,
especially regarding the following Articles:
-Article 1: everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and
to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the
national and international levels;
-Article 5 (a): For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national
and international levels (a) To meet or assemble peacefully;
-Article 12.2: the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the
competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any
violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other
arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of his or her rights [...];
v.Ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in
accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified
by Sri Lanka.
Addresses:
President Mahinda Rajapakse, Presidential Secretariat, C/ Office of the President, Temple
Trees 150, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, Fax: (+94) 11 472100 / (+94) 11 2446657
(+94) 11 2446657 / (+94) 11 243 0590
Email: lalith@icta.lk

(+94) 11 243 0590,

D.M. Jayaratne, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, No. 58, Sir Ernest De Silva Mawatha, Colombo
07, Sri Lanka. Fax no: (+94) 112 575454. Email: slpm@pmoffice.gov.lk
Mr. Sarath Palitha Fernando, Attorney General, Attorney General's Department. Colombo 12,
Sri Lanka. Fax: (+94) 11 2 436421.
Justice Priyantha R.P. Perera, Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. No: 165
Kynsey Road, Borella, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. Fax: (+94) 11 2 694924. Email: sechrc@sltnet.lk

H.E. Mr. Ravinatha P. Aryasinha, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United
Nations in Geneva, 56 rue de Moillebeau, 1211 Geneva 19. Switzerland. Fax: +41 22 73 49
084. E-mail: mission@lankamission.org
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Sri Lanka in your respective
country.
***
Geneva-Paris, March 17, 2014
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an OMCT and FIDH venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights
Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

+ 41 22 809 49 29

Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

+33 1 43 55 18 80