The Opposition Leader stated that the arrest of Ashan Kottewatte, a youth activist from the Dehiwala electorate, has violated his fundamental rights. He further emphasized that the Constitution, which is the supreme law, guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of information, and freedom of expression as fundamental human rights. He also said that Ashan Kottewatte had exposed alleged corruption related to the Clean Sri Lanka program and the Divisional Secretariat system, including appointments made by the government to each Divisional Secretariat area as officers of the Clean Sri Lanka Project, thereby upholding the right to information of 2.2 million people.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa made these remarks when he arrived at the Dehiwala Police Station to meet the arrested Ashan Kottewatte.
He further stated that at present, every Divisional Secretariat and District Secretariat in the country has been subjected to “JVPization,” and claimed that Kottewatte has become a political victim for revealing these facts. He explained that Kottewatte had only gone to a Municipal Council officer at the request of a Municipal Council member, and had printed information sent by that member to the officer via WhatsApp and returned it to the member. He said this was not theft, but an exercise of democratic rights.
The Opposition Leader added that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), as a party, will take the strongest possible legal action regarding what he described as the violation of Mr. Ashan Kottewatte’s fundamental and democratic rights. He further stated that detaining him at the police station over such a minor matter is an undemocratic and indecent act, and urged the government to end such oppression and protect the democratic rights of the people.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa also stated that all possible democratic processes will be pursued both inside and outside Parliament in this regard, and noted that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya has previously opposed such incidents.
