Day: 22 July 2017

A gunman had opened fire aiming at Jaffna High Court Judge M. Elancheliyan in Nallur, Jaffna. Jaffna High Court Judge M. Elancheliyan is a member of the trial-at-bar that is hearing the case on the rape and murder of Vidya Sivaloganathan. The shooting had taken place at the Nallur Kovil Junction at 05:10 this evening (July 22). The unknown gunman had grabbed the side-arm of one of the two police officers providing security to the judge and opened fire. Justice M. Elancheliyan was not harmed in the incident but the…

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Corrupt probing Corrupt: Police given deadline to complete high profile cases ECONOMYNEXT – Police have been given their final warning to speed up investigations into high profile murders and corruption of the former regime or face the axe within two months, top official sources said. Law and Order minister Sagala Ratnayaka has taken a hands-on approach to monitor progress on the investigations after he took flak earlier this month when he President Maithripala Sirisena virtually put him on notice to deliver or depart. Official sources said Ratnayaka will keep a…

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Family scream in horror as pair launch doorstep stun gun attack on victim in his 40s then assault his terrified mother CCTV shows two men approaching a doorway in Stanmore, north-west London The victim opens the door and is shot with the stun gun, kicked and punched Loud screams can be heard from the victims family as his mother is also attack The blood-curdling screams of a family can be heard after two men shot a man on his doorstep with a stun gun before attacking his terrified mother. Any…

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ASIAN MIRROR UNP, SLFP Must Put Aside ‘Petty Political Agendas’:  Sampanthan < http://www.asianmirror.lk/news/item/24574-unp-slfp-must-put-aside-petty-political-agendas-sampanthan  >   DAILY NEWS President signs Office on Missing Persons Act < http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/07/20/local/122698/president-signs-office-missing-persons-act  >   UN NEWS CENTRE Sri Lanka: UN chief congratulates government on setting up office of missing persons < http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57226#.WXHD_IWcHIV  >   THE ISLAND Top UN official here to evaluate progress < http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=168592  >   DAILY MIRROR Emmerson’s meeting with LTTE detainees within terms of ref: Ministry < http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Emmerson-s-meeting-with-LTTE-detainees-within-terms-of-ref-Ministry-133210.html  >   DNA INDIA Sri Lanka govt not to clash with UN on human rights: Minister < http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-sri-lanka-govt-not-to-clash-with-un-on-human-rights-minister-2507113  >   THE DIPLOMAT Looking at Systemic Torture in…

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Bound by their MoU, they are not formally separated yet. But they may have to. Now, the indications are, PM Wickremesinghe is out to break the jinx, on his string of Presidential Election defeats. Perhaps he knows his most cherished project of having the Executive Presidency abolished that was outsourced to self-appointed Colombo Civil Society leaders, is not going to work. UNP is told to begin a fast track, high profile image building campaign of the leader. Meanwhile for now, Wickremesinghe wants the “Unity” Government to continue. President Sirisena, is being…

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Sri Lanka’s police faced censure on Friday over an attempt to “abduct” a student activist, a tactic widely used against dissidents by the previous strongman leader’s regime. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said he lodged a protest with Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara over an attempt by plain-clothed officers to seize a student known for his anti-government views on Thursday night. Other students prevented him from being grabbed by the plain-clothed officers. Samaraweera said the “white van abduction” was to recreate the fear psychosis associated with former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime.…

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By Ruwan Laknath Jayakody – The trial-at-bar into the abduction, gang rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Pungudutivu in Jaffna on 2015 May 13, commenced for the second week on July 3 at the Jaffna High Court. The first ever trial-at-bar in Jaffna began on June 28. The bench includes High Court Judges, B. Sasi Mahendran (President of the panel), M. Ellencheliyan and A. Premashankar. Of those arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in relation to the case, the nine who have been indicted on many counts including on charges of plotting,…

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The 2016 Foreign & Commonwealth Office report on Human Rights and Democracy was presented to the UK Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. According to the report published yesterday, in 2015, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) designated 30 “Human Rights Priority Countries” (HRPCs) including Sri Lanka. The other HRPCs areAfghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burma, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan,…

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