When the country has a legal system in place

• We have observed that most of these criminals found in the  underworld and drug-related crimes are victims of poverty and from the  lower levels of society The most righteous statement to make would  be to transform a society where criminals are not produced

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

When the country has an accepted legal system in place, it  is shameful and dangerous for a senior minister to say to eliminate the  criminals and to threaten the lawyers not to appear for them, a lawyers’  collective said yesterday.   
Expressing its strong disapproval of a recent statement  made by the Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, the Young Lawyers  Association told the media that no criminal should be punished until  proven guilty in a court of law.   

“We vehemently condemn the statement made by Minister Tiran  Alles that it is not a sin to eliminate the criminals, which gives an  impression to somebody that the country does not have a proper legal  system,” Secretary Young Lawyers Association Attorney Jayantha  Dehiaththage said.   

Addressing a recent passing out parade of police special  motorcycle squadron that was assembled to fight the underworld and  narcotics trafficking, the subject minister said “it is not a sin to  eliminate criminals like murderers, drug dealers and underworld  operatives”.  

“Alles being the Public Security Minister should be  responsible for the security of each and every person in the society, be  it a criminal or not. Until proven guilty every criminal is a suspect.  If the criminals are to be shot or eliminated without a fair trial, what  shall we tell their families?” Attorney Dehiaththage questioned.

   
“We have observed that most of these criminals found in the  underworld and drug-related crimes are victims of poverty and from the  lower levels of society. The most righteous statement to make would  be to transform a society where criminals are not produced,”  Dehiaththage said.   

Attorney Thanuka Nandasiri said it is shameful for a  minister to threaten the country’s lawyers saying that their names would  be publicized for appearing for criminals.   

“We do not have any requirement to protect criminals. Until  proven guilty every offender is a suspect. If nobody is appearing for a  suspect, how could that person  prove his innocence? Tiran Alles should  know that lawyers are also part of the judicial system like judges. The  minister has no right to defame lawyers by making such a statement,”  Attorney Nandasiri said.   

• The Public Security Minister should be  responsible for the security of each and every person in the society, be  it a criminal or not