{"id":209823,"date":"2020-04-25T01:23:19","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T19:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=209823"},"modified":"2020-04-25T23:32:38","modified_gmt":"2020-04-25T18:02:38","slug":"150-lawyers-berate-basl-for-failing-to-take-firm-stand-on-arrest-of-lawyer-hejaaz-hizbullah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/150-lawyers-berate-basl-for-failing-to-take-firm-stand-on-arrest-of-lawyer-hejaaz-hizbullah\/","title":{"rendered":"150 Lawyers Berate BASL For Failing To Take Firm Stand On Arrest Of Lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A massive group of Sri Lankan lawyers have petitioned the Bar Association of Sri Lanka about the unlawful detention and lack of access to counsel for Attorney at Law <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=Hejaaz+Hizbullah\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Hejaaz Hizbullah<\/span><\/a>, who was arrested by the CID on 14th April.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_209828\" style=\"width: 910px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hejaaz-Hizbullah.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-209828\" class=\"size-full wp-image-209828\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hejaaz-Hizbullah.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hejaaz-Hizbullah.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hejaaz-Hizbullah-300x158.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Hejaaz-Hizbullah-768x404.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-209828\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hejaaz Hizbullah<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The letter expresses deep concern and perturbation that the BASL is yet to take a \u201cfirm and open stand\u201d on the matter of the attorney Hizbullah\u2019s arrest and detention, even though \u201cthe rights of all attorneys-at-law to undertake protection of the rights of their clients were jeopardised by this state of affairs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 150 lawyers urged immediate action to remedy the situation and restore confidence in the ability of legal professionals to practice by having access to their clients, without being shut out and obstructed by police officers or any other authority without legal basis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA free, fearless and independent legal profession being one of the most important features of a democracy to protect rights of individuals, it is the duty of the leadership of the professional body to do its utmost to defend the ability to function as lawyers, without obstruction, fear or favour,\u201d the letter by lawyers admonished.<\/p>\n<p>150 lawyers put their signatures to the petition raising deep concern about the denial of his right to due access to legal and counsel and his family.<\/p>\n<p>The lawyers noted that the detention of Hizbullah was a \u201cserious\u201d situation. \u201cEight days have passed since the arrest and detention of Mr. Hizbullah\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeither reasons for his arrest nor provisions of law under which he is continued to be detained has been officially served upon him. This violates the basic Constitutional shield from being arrested except according to procedure established by law and the right to be informed of the reason for the arrest (Article 13(1) of the Constitution),\u201d the lawyers said.<\/p>\n<p>The letter also refers to the fact that Hizbullah is yet to be produced before a magistrate to date in violation of the right to judicial oversight of his custody.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe believe that as the professional body entrusted with safeguarding a conducive environment for its members to engage in professional duties freely and fearlessly, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) should take swift, effective and meaningful action where legal guarantees of its members are denied,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n<p>The Attorneys at Law called upon the BASL to take necessary action immediately to ensure Hizbullah\u2019s rights are guaranteed and due process is followed.<\/p>\n<p>To read the letter by the lawyers to the BASL click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Letter-to-BASL.-Hejaaz-Hizbullah-AAL.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>(By Chinthika De Silva)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":209828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2186,1,2375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-209823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-featured-news","category-news","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - 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