The newly elected President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Rajeeva Amarasuriya PC, issued a strong condemnation of the recent killing of suspects in police custody. Taking to his personal social media account, Amarasuriya said that such incidents represent an affront to the Rule of Law and significantly tarnish the image of Sri Lanka.
Amarasuriya’s remarks come in the wake of a police incident on Friday night, where two suspects, arrested in connection with the Kotahena shooting the same day, were shot dead by the police. The authorities said that the suspects attempted to open fire on the officers after seizing a police firearm while being escorted to the location where they had allegedly hidden other weapons. One police officer was also reported injured during the incident.
Amarasuriya said that deaths in custody, particularly those that occur despite prior warning signs, are unacceptable under any circumstances. He said that such incidents undermine the Rule of Law and must be addressed immediately.
Amarasuriya said that a Bar Council meeting was held yesterday, where the matter was discussed in detail. He reiterated the BASL’s commitment to addressing this issue and assured that the necessary steps would be taken going forward.
Amarasuriya also reflected on a similar incident that occurred during his tenure as BASL Secretary in 2021, when H.L. Lasantha, also known as “Tinkering Lasantha,” was apprehended by the Kalutara Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau and subsequently shot dead by the police.
At the time, the BASL had issued a statement condemning the extrajudicial killing, demanding an explanation from the Inspector General of Police.
The Association had expressed its concern over the incident, highlighting that even after high-level interventions, the suspect had not been protected.
