Civil Society Condemns Unlawful Detention Of Jaffna University Students
“Release with immediate effect the three detained students in the absence of clear evidence linking them to the alleged crime, Permit the students access to legal assistance and regular visits by their family members, Ensure the safety, and physical and mental welfare of the students currently held in detention, Put an immediate halt to any further arrests, acts of intimidation, harassment and reprisals carried out by the TID and Sri Lanka Army on students from the University of Jaffna, Stop all interference by security forces and law enforcement authorities in the internal administration of the University of Jaffna and its student body, Investigate into all past attacks of violence against students of the University of Jaffna, including incidents where the perpetrator/s is unknown “civil society urges government.
We publish below the full text of the statement;
Statement Condemning the Arrest and Unlawful Detention of Four Students from the University of Jaffna, and Calling for their Immediate Release
We the undersigned, strongly condemn the arrest of four students of the University of Jaffna (UoJ) by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) on Thursday, November 29, 2012. While welcoming the release of Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan, a student of the Jaffna Medical Faculty on the morning of Tuesday, December 4, we condemn the continued detention of the remaining three Jaffna University Student Union members: Sanmugam Solaman (24), Kanagasundram Jenamajenth, and Student Union Secretary Paramalingam Tharshaanan (24).
The four are part of a group of seven Jaffna University students who were summoned by the Kopai Police (in the Jaffna District) on Thursday, November 29, 2012, in connection with an alleged arson (petrol bomb) attack on the office of the Sri Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) in Thirunelvely, Jaffna. Sri-TELO had opened its office at Thirunelvely near the Jaffna University, only a week prior to the alleged arson attack. The students were later charged with putting up posters around the Jaffna University relating to Maaveerar Naal(LTTE heroes/martyrs day) which fell on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. Read more...
