Mar 13, Colombo: A lawyers' organization in Sri Lanka, the Lawyers Collective said the summoning of the impeached Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake to appear before the Bribery Commission is a witch hunt by the Sri Lankan government.

The Collective in a statement said the government has started its "much practiced witch hunts" of those who do not submit to the dictates of the government and urged the government to stop post impeachment intimidation of Chief Justice Bandaranayake and the legal fraternity.

"Under the prevailing situation where politicization of all public institutions at all levels is prevalent, we are of the considered view that the government has started its much practiced witch hunts of those who do not submit to the dictates of the government," the Lawyers said.

Sri Lanka's first female Chief Justice, who was impeached in January this year by a parliamentary procedure, has been summoned to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on 18th March 2013.

The lawyers said they were of the view that the government has started its persecution of Bandaranayake for her courageous stand to challenge the Impeachment.

The Bribery Commission has also indicted Bandaranayake's husband, Pradeepa Kariyawasam who was the former chairman of the National Savings Bank for alleged corruption in a transaction causing loses to the bank.

The Collective noted that the lawyers have shown their disapproval of the government's intimidation of the judiciary and the need to protect the Rule of L aw and the independence of the judiciary.

The organization urged the Government and all its institutions to respect the right of the citizens of the country to dissent and to enjoy the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution before it reaches dangerous proportions.