• Further remanded yesterday by Colombo Magistrate's Court
• Mudalige says willing to stay imprisoned for people’s rights

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (12) further remanded Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige, who was in remand custody under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), until the Attorney General's (AG's) instructions with regard to granting bail to Mudalige are received today (13).

Mudalige was produced before Colombo Additional Magistrate Tharanga Mahawatte yesterday. The Additional Magistrate ordered that Mudalige be further remanded until today, until the Attorney General’s (AG's) instructions are received.

When Mudalige and Siridhamma Thera were produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on an earlier occasion, a Senior Deputy Solicitor General (SDSG) from the AG's Department had informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Mahawatte that the AG’s instructions with regard to granting bail to Mudalige will be given yesterday. However, the AG’s instructions which were not forthcoming yesterday are due today.

When Mudalige was being taken to the court complex and out of the court complex yesterday, a large number of people including activists of the IUSF and the Inter-University Bhikkhu Federation (IUBF), including IUBF Convenor Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, who was also earlier detained under the PTA, had gathered. They engaged in a silent protest in front of the Court holding placards and were also observed cheering in support of Mudalige.

Speaking from the prison bus, Mudalige said: “If speaking for the people is called terrorism, I am willing to stay in jail for many more years, but we are not ready to bow down to rogue governments.”

Speaking to the media during the silent protest, Siridhamma Thera said: “Mudalige was produced before court today, but the Police still say that only 60% of the investigations have been completed. What the Police imply is that 40% of the investigations are yet to be completed and that Mudalige should therefore be detained further. We know that if we cannot sort these issues out in this manner, we will have to take to the streets again.”

The IUSF had organised a protest in Colombo on 18 August against President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Government. A total of 16 university students who were arrested during that protest were released on bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate on 19 August, while Mudalige, Siridhamma Thera, and IUSF member Hashan Jeewantha were placed under detention. Of them, both Jeewantha and Siridhamma Thera have now been released.