Sri Lankans residing in European countries, including Italy, France, and Germany yesterday staged a protest in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in support of former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake who has been imprisoned on charges of contempt of court.
The protesters pointed out that Sri Lanka had recently granted a presidential pardon to an individual who had been convicted and sentenced to life for murder and others who were convicted on serious charges.
They charged that the failure to grant a presidential pardon to a people’s representative and human rights activist such as Ranjan Ramanayake was clearly an intention of political revenge.
Stating that an injustice has taken place, the protesting Sri Lankans had handed over a petition to the UNHRC calling on the Council to conduct an investigation in this regard, intervene, and help the former MP to be released.
The protestors have further said that they intend to stage similar protests in several other cities, as well as hand over another petition to the International Criminal Court (ICC). (NewsWire)
