Four Tamils have been released on bail after they arrested earlier this week for distrubuting kanji as part of commemorations to mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide.
Kamaleswaran Themila, Kamaleswaran Vijitha, Kalirajah Sujani and Hariharakumar, were arrested by Sri Lankan police on Sunday night. Video footage shows Sri Lankan police officers dragging two of the women away during the arrest.
Although the initial arrest and court order cited public health, the four were detained under section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. Section 3 of the act states "no person shall propagate war or advocate national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence".
Yesterday, Muttur Magistrate Court rescinded a ban on the distrbution of kanji after Tamil and Muslim lawyers successfully called for the court order to be overturned.
Tamils across the North-East have been marking Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week with various events across the homeland. Many events have included sharing kanji to remember the victims of the Tamil genocide and remember the plight the Tamil people faced as they were trapped in the No Fire Zones in 2009.
