Following prolonged silence over targeted defamation campaigns against the Chief Justice, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has officially issued a statement regarding the ongoing situation.
The statement, issued on August 27 under the signatures of BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya and Secretary Nalinda Silva, is titled “Statement by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Judicial Independence, Responsible Scrutiny of the Judiciary, and the Administration of Justice.” In the release, the association acknowledges that organized groups have been carrying out defamatory attacks aimed at the head of the judiciary in connection with proposed government reforms to the judicial system.
The BASL had previously faced strong criticism from civil society organizations and citizens for its apparent silence and passive stance while continuous defamatory remarks were being made against the Chief Justice under the cover of parliamentary privileges. The newly released statement comes as a direct response to growing public pressure demanding the association uphold the integrity of the judicial system.
