The plead for granting an interim order to suspend the decision of the Ministry of Defence from deporting about 2,000 Pakistani and Afghanistan refugees who were arrested by Sri Lanka Immigration, is to be considered by Supreme Court on August 26.

{module LOLC}

The Supreme Court today fixed for August 26 the fundamental rights petition filed on behalf of the refugees by six human rights defenders in Sri Lanka. 

Six prominent human rights activists Nimalka Fernando, Kurukulasooriya Mariyas Rukshan, Menali Manel Perera, Marimmuththu Saththivelu, Sheila Pear Richards and Prabath Sudharshana had filed this fundamental rights petition before Supreme Court for the protection of foreign refugees and asylum seekers in Sri Lanka.

The petitioners stated that a majority of the Pakistani nationals are either Christians or Shia and Ahamadi sects of Islam. They claim that the refugees are being persecuted in Pakistan on religious grounds and they have well founded fear of persecution due to their religious beliefs and most of them experience torture in the country of origin.

The petitioners stated that many newspaper reports of killing of these two communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The petitioners maintained that the government of Sri Lanka should guarantee equal protection of law for all persons including foreigners who seeking refugee status in Sri Lanka in accordance with the article 12(1) of the constitution.