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28 IUSF protestors released on bail

01 Sep 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera   A total of 28 activists of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) who were arrested by the Police during the protest held by the IUSF in Colombo on Tuesday (30 August) against the Government’s continuous crackdown on protestors and the detention of three IUSF activists including its Convener Wasantha Mudalige under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act as amended (PTA), were released on bail yesterday (31 August). The arrestees, who were being detained at the Colombo Fort Police Station, were produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate's Court yesterday. The Magistrate then ordered that they be released on bail. The IUSF held a protest on Tuesday in Colombo against the repressive campaign of the Government and the detention of the activists of the IUSF – Mudalige, Hashan Jeewantha, and Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera – for 90 days under the PTA. The protest started near the Elphinstone Theatre in Colombo 10 (Maradana) with the participation of a large number of protestors. The Police, who fired tear gas and pressurised water from water cannons to disperse the protest held by the IUSF against the Government’s continuous crackdown on protestors, and the detention of three IUSF activists including Mudalige under the PTA, had arrested more than 28 IUSF activists during the protest. The protestors marched along Deans Road towards the Technical Junction in Colombo 10, and more than 200 Police and Riot Unit Officers had been deployed at Deans Road.  Due to the Police officers blocking the road, the protestors resorted to sitting on the road, at which point the Police fired tear gas and pressurised water at the protestors. Shortly afterwards, the officers were seen arresting several IUSF activists and taking them away. Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa told media on that day that the Police had arrested 28 individuals in total during the protest. He had stated that the arrests were made to bring the situation under control.  Accordingly, it was reported that a total of 28 activists who were arrested by the Police during the protest were being detained at the Colombo Fort Police Station. A team from the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) had also visited the arrestees on Tuesday (30).  


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