{"id":165000,"date":"2016-07-10T13:10:22","date_gmt":"2016-07-10T07:40:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=165000"},"modified":"2016-07-14T01:25:44","modified_gmt":"2016-07-13T19:55:44","slug":"maithri-lambasts-divaina-for-inflammatory-journalism-reiterates-his-stand-against-foreign-judges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/maithri-lambasts-divaina-for-inflammatory-journalism-reiterates-his-stand-against-foreign-judges\/","title":{"rendered":"Maithri Lambasts Divaina For Inflammatory Journalism, Reiterates His Stand Against Foreign Judges"},"content":{"rendered":"

President Maithripala Sirisena<\/span><\/a> lambasted the Divaina newspaper for misleading the public, while reiterating that he will not allow any foreign judges to be part of any judicial process in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Divaina has reported that a war crimes tribunal will be set up in 9 months and foreign judges will be part of this. This is absolutely false. I reject this news completely. They should not mislead the public and create panic among the people,\u201d Sirisena told a gathering at an event held in Peradeniya on Saturday.<\/p>\n

He emphasized that the Sri Lankan constitution does not permit foreign judges to sit in any judiciary process, and in order to allow foreign judges to sit in any bench, then the constitution has to be amended. \u201cBut, I will not agree with such an amendment,\u201d Sirisena who has been adamant against allowing foreign judges to be part of a judicial process for accountability said.<\/p>\n

Sirisena said that the UN has never made any mention of a war crimes tribunal. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why they write like this. The newspaper can at least call us and verify it. That\u2019s basic media ethics,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Sirisena added that he will steer the country forward based on the advice of the Maha Sangha.<\/p>\n