The Court of Appeal has received reports against six political activists and a senior lecturer over alleged contempt of court stemming from statements made during a July protest.
Legal action has been initiated against six political figures and an academic in the Court of Appeal on contempt of court charges. The individuals named in the reports are activists Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, Sugeeshwara Bandara, Dilith Jayaweera, and Asanka Navarathna, along with Senior Lecturer Mahinda Pathirana, according to NewsFirst.
The matter originates from a satyagraha demonstration held between July 7 and 15, organized to protest the arrest of retired Major General Suresh Sallay in connection with investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. During the protest, the accused individuals made public statements that authorities allege were critical of judicial proceedings.
On August 5th, the Criminal Investigation Department submitted its investigation findings to Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena. After reviewing the submissions, the magistrate determined that the statements appeared to undermine the judicial process on their face. Following this assessment, the magistrate issued an order directing the matter to the Court of Appeal for formal contempt of court charges to be filed against the individuals.
The referral to the appellate court marks an escalation in the legal proceedings against the political figures, moving the case from the lower magistrate's court to a higher judicial body.
