Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

Four released in Rajiv Gandhi case face the threat of deportation to Sri Lanka

Following the release of six individuals implicated in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Tamil Nadu officials have maintained that four of them will be sent back to Sri Lanka, despite concerns over Sri Lanka’s human rights abuses.

The four Sri Lankan nationals were taken to a special refugee camp in the Trichy district on Saturday evening after their release. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, legal advocate Romiyo Roy noted that four can appeal their cases to remain in India on the basis of “principle of non-refoulement” as they face a credible threat of mistreatment in Sri Lanka.

He warned however that the government may “ask them to stay in the special refugee camp under Section 32E of the Foreigners Act which empowers the Government of India to detain any foreigner in a special camp”.

An alternative proposal would be for these individuals to go to European countries, that are willing to accept them so that they can be reunited with their families.

“It’s a grey area in law and this is also ultimately in the hands of the Government of India and the courts” Roy told the Hindustan Times.

Read more here.

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.