Hundreds of lawyers staged a protest yesterday (09) morning in front of the Supreme Court complex in Colombo in a show support for former Mullaitivu magistrate T. Saravanaraja.
They carried placards with slogans that demanded justice for Saravanaraja via an impartial inquiry, a halt to intimidation of judges, repression and silencing dissent.
Withdrawal of the proposed laws against terrorism and on online safety was another of their demands.
Saravanaraja has informed the Judicial Services Commission that he was resigning due to threats to his life, and left the country.
TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran, also a lawyer who took part in the protest, said it was the first time death threats had forced a judge to resign.
The ex-magistrate should be given justice, he said, adding that such threats would end the supremacy of the country’s law.
