COLOMBO :The Supreme Court on Monday fixed Former Western Province Governor Azath Salley’s fundamental rights (FR) case for support on July 28.
The FR came up for hearing before a three-member judge comprising Justice Priyantha Jayawardene, Justice Yasantha Godagoda and Justice A.H.M.D Nawaz. On behalf of Salley, a team of lawyers led by Faiz Mustapha,PC ,comprising Maithri Gunaratne PC, Noordeen Mohammed Shaheed, Namal Rajapaksa, Pulasthi Rupasinghe and Rushdie Habib instructed by Gowri Shankari Thavarajah.
Appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris told court that indictments have been filed in the High Court against Salley under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act and the PTA.
The charges have been filed at the Colombo High Court over a controversial press conference held by Salley on the 09th of March, 2021, he added.
Salley was arrested on 16th March over his statements with regard to the Shari’a law during the press conference held in March.
Commenting on Salley’s arrest, Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara told reporters at the time that he was arrested over suspected links to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Minister Weerasekara also stated that Salley’s recent statements about the Shari’a law and the State’s law could incite extremism and could lead to terrorism.
Salley has been detained at the Criminal Investigations Department since his arrest in March, and suffered a heart attack while in custody on the 19th of May.
Currently, Salley is being treated at the Colombo National Hospital ever since he got his cardiac attack.
