Several international Lawyer Associations and Human Rights Organizations have raised concerns about the ongoing violations of fair trial rights in the ongoing trial of Sri Lankan lawyer and human rights defender Hejaaz Hizbullah.
Issuing a joint statement, the Lawyers for Lawyers, the Bar Human Rights Committee, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Committee (IBAHRI), the International Commission of Jurists, the Law Society of England and Wales, and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) alleged that the key witnesses have been subject to threat, coercion, intimidation and arrest.
“We have strong reasons to believe Hizbullah is being persecuted for his work to defend the rights of persons from the Muslim community in Sri Lanka in his capacity as a lawyer and human rights defender. Hizbullah’s next trial date is scheduled for 14 July 2023, but given recent reports of witness intimidation and coercion, we have grave concerns that he will be denied a fair trial,” the statement said.
The group has urged the authorities to ensure that Hejaaz Hizbullah is afforded all the elements of a fair trial under international law and to end all acts of harassment against him.
They further urge to immediately stop the arbitrary arrest, threat of arrest, coercion and other intimidation of witnesses in his case and to immediately release the remaining two potential defence witnesses who were arrested on 18 May.
The group also calls to reform the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and bring it in line with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations.
Attorney-at-law Hejaaz Hizbullah was arrested in April 2020 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and was in remand custody for over 20 months.
While the police earlier said the lawyer was arrested for alleged links to the Easter attacks, he was subsequently accused of promoting racial hatred, an offence under Sri Lanka’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. He had spent 10 months in custody before being charged.
In February 2022, Attorney-at-law Hejaaz Hizbullah was granted bail by the Court of Appeal after being detained for over 20 months.
Full statement : Final Joint Statement-Hejaaz Hizbullah (NewsWire)