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Domestic and international pressure reverses police summons for civil society activist

A police summons that was issued for Tamil civil society activist Father Elil over his involvement in organising a Mullivaikkaal memorial event was issued today and reversed hours later, following domestic and international pressure on Sri Lankan authorities.

The Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research tweeted earlier today that their programme director Father Elil had been summoned again by Sri Lankan police, and ordered to report to the Special Crimes Division of Mullaitivu police on Monday the 22nd of May. This marked the third time this week that Father Elil had been called for questioning by Sri Lankan police.

However, “domestic and international pressure” lead to the summons being revoked, just hours after it was issued. Adayaalam said it had received verbal assurance from “senior govt officials that the harassment will stop”.

See an English translation of the police summons below.

 

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