Dec 09, Colombo: The Supreme Court granted permission to hear five fundamental rights petitions filed by five Aragalaya activists claiming that their fundamental rights were violated by the attack on the Gota Go Gama protest site at Galle Face on 9th May 2022.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court has issued notice to former President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, MPs Namal Rajapaksa, Sanath Nishantha, Johnston Fernando, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, and Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon, who were named as respondents, to present their facts before the court on 22 June 2023.

The petitions were filed by five activists including Lahiru Chanaka were considered today before the Supreme Court bench comprising justices Vijith Malalgoda and Janak de Silva.

The bench which announced the decision after a long study of the facts stated that the relevant petitions will be allowed to proceed and scheduled the hearing for June 22 next year.

The petitioners claim that their fundamental human rights were violated by the attack by the supporters of the respondents on the protest site of Gota Go village in Galle Face last May 9th.

Accordingly, the petitioners requested the apex court to issue an order to prevent attacks on peaceful struggles and to issue an order to the Inspector General of Police to prepare a series of guidelines for that purpose.

Although former army commander General Shavendra Silva was named as a respondent in this petition, the lawyers representing the petitioners informed the court that they do not expect to continue the case against him.

Accordingly, the court ordered to release the former army commander Shavendra Silva from the proceedings.