Vibushika visits Jeyakumary on Monday

Vibushika, Jeyakumary’s 13-year-old daughter, currently being kept at a Children’s Home in the North under the custody of the Probation Department, was permitted to visit her mother on the 16th of February, 2015 (Monday), at the Female Ward of the Welikada Prison. As there were *technical issues with the Kilinochchi Magistrate Court Order, Vibushika was only permitted to visit her mother for 10 minutes. However, as Vibushika continued to cry, the Probation officer approached the Prison official on duty and requested to grant her more time to meet with her mother as she had come all the way from Kilinochchi to see her. Vibushika had also pleaded with the Prison official to be allowed to kiss her mother goodbye. In response, the official had permitted her to see her mother for a further 10-15 minutes.

Vibushika had only been permitted to visit her mother twice before in the last 11 months, since Jeyakumary’s arrest on the 13th of March, 2014. It was a terribly sad and emotional reunion for both Jeyakumary and Vibushika, as they wept profusely throughout the visit.

Vibushika was escorted from the North to the prison by female officers from the Child Probation Department, the Police and the Children Home where she’s currently being kept.

Kilinochchi Magistrate Court Order permitting Vibushika’s visit

Vibushika has written an Appeal to the new President, Maithripala Sirisena, pleading for the release of her mother.

At Jeyakumary’s last Magistrate Court (MC) hearing on the 10th of February, officers from the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) had stated that they had 15 more suspects left to question in relation to her case. Having deliberately prolonged Jeyakumary’s case for over 11 months now, the TID continues to delay sending her case across to the Attorney General’s (AG) Department.

Jeyakumary’s next MC court hearing will be on the 24th of February, and her next Fundamental Rights (FR) petition hearing will be on the 13th of March, which will mark her one year in detention without charges.

*The Court Order stated that Jeyakumary was being held at the Welikada Magazine Prison, whilst it should have stated the Female Ward of the Welikada Prison. Also, the Order was not copied to the Commissioner General of Prisons, but only to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of  Police, Kilinochchi and the Officer in Charge, Department of Probation and Child Care Services, Kandavalai.

For more on her visit –

‘අපි දෙන්නා දෙපැත්තේ ඉදලා කතා කරාට වඩා ඇඩුවා‘ අධිකරණ අවසරයෙන් සිරගත ජෙයකුමාරි සහ ඇගේ දියණිය විනාඩි කිහිපයකට හමුවෙයි – Vikalpa

PTA Case Update

On the 6th of January, 2015, Jeyakumary’s Case No. B4002/8/2014, where she was charged under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, along with Human Rights Defenders Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen and a number of others, was heard at the Magistrates’ Court, Colombo. The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) had not re-issued Jeyakumary’s Detention Order (DO), the first one having expired end November. Therefore, her lawyers had requested that she be released on bail, but their request had been denied.

Her lawyers received the B-Report from the MC Registrar on the 16th of January, and plan to file an official Bail Application shortly. The next hearing at the MC will be on the 20th of January, 2015. 

Having been moved to the 2nd Floor (TID HQ) in Colombo, in around October last year, she was transferred to the  Female Ward of the Welikada Prison in Colombo, on the 2nd of December, 2014. However, her lawyers were not notified of the move to Welikada up until her last Fundamental Rights (FR) petition hearing that was held on the 17th of December, 2014.  

Her next FR hearing has been scheduled for the 13th of March, 2015, which will mark her one year in unlawful detention. 

Summary of FR Petition Hearings to date – 18/12/2014

Two matters were filed challenging the arrest and detention of B. Jeyakumary, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as she is currently being held in prolonged detention at the Boosa Detention Camp.

– On 4th June 2014, when this matter was called before Court for the first time, there was no appearance on behalf of the Attorney General.

– On 6th June 2014, the case was called again, and the Attorney General’s Department sought time to obtain instructions from their clients. The Counsel for the Petitioner sought the Detention Order  (if any) to be filed on record.

– Again on 27th June 2014, when the case was called in Court, the Counsel for the Petitioner sought the Detention Order (if one had been issued), to be filed on record.

Then on 18th July 2014, the Petitioner was informed that there was in fact a Detention Order bearing the number DML/PTA/48/2014. However, it had not yet been filed in court.

– On 28th July 2014, when the matter was called before the Court, the Attorney General was instructed by the Court to expedite their investigations. The Counsel for the Petitioner was thereafter given a copy of the Detention Order, but to date, the Attorney General has not filed the Order in Court.

– On 16th September 2014, the Attorney General once again sought time to conclude investigations, therefore resulting in the case being further postponed.

– On 17th December 2014, the Attorney General handed over a summary of evidence gathered so far (with no reference to any supporting documentation), to the court. Therefore the Counsel for the Petitioner moved for time to study it before supporting the Application.

The Counsel for the Petitioner has also been informed that the detainee will be transferred to judicial custody this week, and will therefore no longer be in the custody of the TID.

Jeyakumary’s next hearing date has been set for 13th March 2015, which will mark her one year in detention.

Jeyakumary’s FR Petition Hearing today (17th)

B. Jeyakumary’s seventh hearing of her Fundamental Rights (FR) petition is being held today (17th Dec) at the Supreme Court.  Her case has been heard 6 times since May this year. At the last hearing on the 16th of September, 2014, the Attorney General Department stated that the Police required more time, and that investigations were ongoing.

Today marks the 279th day (since the 13th of March, 2014) of Jeyakumary’s unlawful detention without charges, under the heinous Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Since her arrest and detention at the Boosa Detention Camp in March, she has been brought to the notorious 4th Floor (Criminal Investigation Department HQ) for interrogation on multiple occasions, and often made to spend the night there under very uncomfortable circumstances (as there are no beds there), before being returned to Boosa.

Further, her 13 year old daughter, Vibushika (also her sole remaining family member), has only been permitted to visit her once since her detention. Her daughter is currently in the custody of the Child Probation Department, and is being kept at a undisclosed children’s home in the country.

#FreeJeyakumary – 250 Days in Detention without Charges

Join the Campaign to #FreeJeyakumary by;

– RT @vikalpavoices and @WATCHDOG_SL Tweets

– Share above image on FB, Instgram, Whatsapp and any other social media networks you may use, and update your FB status as follows; ‘B. Jeyakumary – 250 Days in Detention without Charges. ‪#‎FreeJeyakumary‬ and reunite her with her daughter’ or write in your own words a status marking her 250 Days in Detention without Charges.

–  Sign the Petition calling for her release. 

– Blog/write about the plight of Jeyakumary and other political prisoners like her, languishing in prison/detention, without charges.

Thank you and feel free to use any of the material (text and images) displayed on this site.

The FJK Campaign

Related articles;

– Lanka Focus News

#FreeJeyakumary Protest in Vavuniya

The #FreeJeyakumary Protest was held this morning (10th Oct), opposite the High Court Building in Vavuniya. There was a high presence of Police and intelligence personnel but, it went ahead uninterrupted. The protest was attended by local MPs, politicians, clergy, mothers of the disappeared, the general public and the media.

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Related articles;

– Uthayan

– Lanka Focus News

#FreeJeyakumary Public Protest on 10th Friday in Vavuniya

The Vavuniya Citizens Committee (VCC)  will hold a #FreeJeyakumary Public Protest,  calling for her release and all those held in detention without charges, on Friday, Oct 10th, at 10am, opposite the Court House building, Vavuniya.

Particularly in light of last night’s (8th) attack on the President of the VCC, in yet another attempt by the State to intimidate and silence dissent in Sri Lanka, we must stand together in solidarity for the truth, justice and accountability.

President of the Vavuniya Citizens Committee attacked for organising Jeyakumary protest

Mr. G. Thevaraja, the President of the Vavuniya Citizens Committee (VCC) was attacked around 5.30-6pm this evening (8th Oct), whilst he was riding his motorbike back home from his shop in Nedunkerny. He had gone to his shop soon after Chairing an afternoon meeting with the VCC to discuss the ‪#‎FreeJeyakumary‬ campaign protest to be held on Friday, Oct 10th, 2014, in Vavuniya. He was assaulted by 4 persons in civil, who rode two motorbikes and attacked him with iron rods. His head was saved due to him having worn a helmet, but even his helmet was damaged in the attack. Whilst beating him, his attackers also threatened him using broken Tamil (non-native speaker), “You are going to organize a campaign for Jeyakumary. If You do not stop that, we will kill you!” The attack took place between the Nedunkerny army camp and police station. The attackers were allegedly non-Tamil speaking. He was rushed to the Nedunkerny hospital and has been since transferred to the Vavuniya hospital to receive treatment. His condition is not believed to be critical at the moment.

(Pix Source – Netrikkan Online Newspaper)

Other related articles;

– Vikalpa

– Lanka Focus News

– Tamil Guardian

– Global Tamil News

– Colombo Telegraph

Demonstration to mark 200 days since the unlawful detention of Jeyakumary

A demonstration was held outside the Fort Railway Station, Colombo, on the 29th of September to mark 200 days since Jeyakumary was unlawfully detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and calling for her release and the release of all other political prisoners held without charges under the PTA:

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It received coverage in the Hindu, Lanka Focus, Vikalpa (and again), Global Tamil News, Pathivu, Tamil Guardian and Sri Lanka Brief. Appallingly no mainstream Sri Lankan media covered the event.

Several senior members of opposition political parties and civil society were in attendance, including:

• Gajen Ponnambalam – President, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF)
• Siritunga Jayasuriya – General Secretary, United Socialist Party (CWI in Sri Lanka)
• M.A. Sumanthiran – MP, Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
• Mano Ganesan – Leader, Democratic Peoples Front (Political Party)
• Azath Salley – Leader, National Unity Front (NUF)
• Members of Civil Society
• Trade Unions leaders & members
• Members of the Clergy
• Civic conscious members of the general public
• Members of the Media

There was also a small counter-demonstration by pro-Government supporters, who hurled abuse at the demonstrators, held up offensive cartoons targeting prominent members of Sri Lankan Civil Society, and distributed a leaflet framing Jeyakumary as supporting the revival of the LTTE:

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