The BAR Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has called for the removal of Tiran Alles as Public Security Minister over his alleged ‘irresponsible, arbitrary, and misleading statements’ in the recent past.
Issuing a statement, the BASL also called on the Public Security Minister to retract his recent statement while addressing the new Police STF Squadron to fight crimes.
The minister was reported by various media as having said “Eliminating criminals is not a sin. Don’t be afraid to use the weapon in your hand for the right thing, and we stand by you.”
Raising concerns over the minister’s statement, the BASL said it is a direct contradiction to the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution and the established procedures governing the criminal judicial system.
“The dispensation of justice, including the imposition of penalties upon wrongdoers, is exclusively within the jurisdiction of the courts as mandated by the Constitution. Such actions must adhere strictly to due process, including thorough investigations and fair trials conducted in accordance with the law.
“Given the alarming increase in extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, and incidents of torture perpetrated by law enforcement in recent times, the minister’s statement perpetuates a dangerous misconception that justice, sentencing, and punishment lie beyond the purview of the judiciary and can be administered arbitrarily, without adherence to due process,” the BASL pointed out.
Against this backdrop, the BASL called for the immediate retraction of the statement by the minister, while it also called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove Tiran Alles from the portfolio of Minister of Public Security over the latter’s disregard for the rule of law. (Newswire)
