Maaveerar Naal commemorations: Crackdown on video sharers is akin to shooting the messenger - Additional Magistrate

Further magisterial inquiry fixed for June 10

BY Lakmal Sooriyagoda 

The Colombo Additional Magistrate questioned how the arrest and request to remand individuals who shared videos related to recent Maaveerar Naal commemorations can be justified without first investigating those who created and uploaded the videos. The Magistrate observed that this approach is akin to “shooting the messenger.”

Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake made these remarks while granting bail to Renuka Perera, the Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, who was arrested by the CID for allegedly spreading false information regarding the Maaveerar Naal commemorations.

The suspect was released on two sureties of one million rupees each, as ordered by the Additional Magistrate.The Magistrate further directed the CID to investigate those who organized the commemorations and to arrest and produce them in court.

The CID informed the court that the suspect was arrested in connection with sharing video clips of celebrations held in Australia via Facebook and that no such celebrations had occurred in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.

The defense counsel argued that the Minister of Public Security had admitted in Parliament that Maaveerar Naal celebrations had taken place in the Northern Province this year.
Defence Counsel further informed that the Minister had stated there were 244 such celebrations and 10 instances where the LTTE flag was displayed.

After considering the arguments from both sides, the Additional Magistrate inquired whether the CID had investigated the individuals who created and initially posted the video shared by the suspect.The investigating officers responded that no such investigation had been conducted.Further magisterial inquiry fixed for June 10. The CID had arrested the suspect for allegedly committing offences under section 120 of the Penal Code.

Section 120 of the Penal Code states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs; or by visible representations, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite feelings of disaffection to the President of the Government of the Republic, or excites or attempts to excite hatred to or contempt of the administration of justice, or excites or attempts to excite the People of Sri Lanka to procure, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter by law established or attempts to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the People of Sri Lanka or to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of such People, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years”. 

The Magistrate further directed the CID to investigate those who organized the commemorations and to arrest and produce them in court