Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today visited the Dehiwala Police Station to meet youth activist Ashan Kottewatta, who was taken into custody after raising concerns about the alleged politicization of Divisional Secretariat offices under the Clean Sri Lanka project.
Speaking to reporters today (06) following the visit, Premadasa said the arrest amounted to a violation of Kottewatta’s fundamental rights.
He further stressed that freedom of speech, access to information, and freedom of expression are guaranteed by the Constitution as basic human rights.
Premadasa noted that Kottewatta had exposed how government appointments under the Clean Sri Lanka programme were being used to politicize the Divisional Secretariat system.
“At present all Divisional Secretariat and District Secretariat offices have been subjected to JVP‑ization, and revealing this has been turned into a political crime. In response to a request by a municipal councillor, a municipal official only printed and handed back WhatsApp information sent by the councillor. That was not theft but the exercise of a democratic right,” he said.
Premadasa further emphasized that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya would take the highest possible legal action to protect Kottewatta’s rights.
“Detaining him in police custody on such a trivial matter is an undemocratic and disgraceful act. We call on the government to protect the democratic rights of the people from such repression. All democratic actions possible will be taken both inside and outside Parliament, and as a party we have previously stood against such incidents,” he added. (Newswire)