Concerns

Jan 17, 2013 (LBO) - The International Commissions of Jurists, an international rights body promoting rule of law has raised concerns about Sri Lanka's newly appointed chief justice and asked for his controversially sacked predecessor to be re-instated. Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was impeached by parliametn through controversial process which courts declared illegal and unconstitutional.

"ICJ condemns this appointment as a further assault on the independence of the judiciary and calls on the Sri Lankan government to reinstate Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake," the organizations Asia director Sam Zarifi said in a statement.

"If there are grounds for questioning the Chief Justice’s actions, they should be pursued following due process and a proper impeachment process."

ICJ also raised concerns about the Mohan Pieris, a former attorney general and advisor to the cabinet, who it said had blocked efforts to hold the government responsible for human rights violations.

"Mohan Peiris’ appointment as the new Chief Justice, after a politically compromised and procedurally flawed impeachment, adds serious insult to the gross injury already inflicted on Sri Lanka’s long suffering judiciary," Zarifi said.

ICJ said in a rece