BASL President threatens cops with legal action

President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Saliya Peiris, PC, has issued a warning to police officers against misusing their powers.

The BASL chief has said that police personnel who act on illegal orders must remember that someday they will have to pay for such illegal acts.

“I have seen police officers, who engaged in unlawful acts and violated the rights of people, in order to satisfy their bosses, having to pay for their misdeeds. Some paid by way of compensation and loss of their promotions. Others had to face jail terms after being found guilty of criminal acts,” he said, in a message on Facebook.

The BASL President pointed out that when these things happened, their masters were nowhere around to protect them, adding that they had to face the music alone.

“The wheels of justice may grind slowly but they will surely grind,” he added.

The statement came after police used force to disperse a peaceful protest at the Galle Face Green, in Colombo, on Sunday, to remember those who were killed at the Aragalaya protests. A tense situation prevailed after the Police dispersed the crowd. A video footage, shared on social media, showed police using force to remove protesters, some of whom were with children.