Image: Shani Abeysekera
The custody of former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekera has been extended once again announced Gampaha Magistrate’s court this week, bringing the new release date to February 3rd 2021.
Abeysekera's release date has continuously been pushed back over the last few months. He was a senior official who oversaw inquiries into high profile cases implicating Sri Lankan state and security forces, including the assassination of the late senior journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge in 2009, who was critical of the Rajapaksa government that was in power at the time.
Several reports of current Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s implication in Lasantha’s murder have been brought up. Abeysekera was demoted and charged of discrediting the police force with concealing evidence following Gotabaya’s return to power.
Human Rights Watch raised concerns over the arrest in August 2020 stating that the country’s leadership is “waging a campaign of fear and intimidation against human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, and others challenging government policy”. Subsequent to Abeysekera’s arrest, a police officer alleged that he was pressured into providing a false statement against Abeysekara. Nishantha Silva, a senior police officer who also investigated crimes committed under the previous Rajapaksa administration fled to Switzerland following the Rajapaksas’ return to power in 2019.
In November 2020, following Abeysekera’s transfer to a remote prisoner treatment centre against his wishes and without his family being informed of his health situation or whereabouts, Amnesty International called on Sri Lankan authorities to “immediately provide him access to immediate and proper medical care, and regular access to his family members and independent monitors” stating that “there is grave concern for his life, safety, health and wellbeing as he suffers from existing heart conditions and diabetes”.
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