Journalist Kasun Pussewela has lodged a formal complaint with the Registrar of the Galle Magistrate’s Court, alleging that he was harassed and physically obstructed by police officers when attempting to enter the courtroom while wearing spectacles prescribed by an eye specialist.

In a detailed written statement dated 22 April 2025, Pussewela said he was attending the Galle Additional Magistrate’s Court as a surety in a case related to a private vehicle accident. According to his complaint, two police officers stationed at the entrance barred him from entering the courtroom, claiming that he could not do so while wearing spectacles. One officer allegedly placed a hand on his chest, forcibly stopped him from entering, and demanded that he remove his spectacles. Another officer, Pussewela claims, grabbed his waist and hip area from behind in an invasive and inappropriate manner.

“The Hon. Magistrate had already started the case where I was the surety. But due to the police officers’ obstruction, I was delayed in entering the courtroom,” he wrote. The case was eventually postponed.

Pussewela also recounted how the officers made derogatory remarks, telling him he could only enter “with spectacles in your hand, not on your face,” and forcibly pushed him out of the courtroom premises. When he questioned whether there was a legal or court-imposed restriction against wearing spectacles, he says the officers responded aggressively and continued to intimidate him in front of several witnesses, including attorneys.

He pointed out that he has regularly appeared before the Supreme Court, Parliament, and the Office of the President wearing spectacles without issue, and has never faced restrictions even under high-security conditions.

“As a citizen and a journalist, I have always maintained respect for the judiciary and adhered to proper dress codes,” Pussewela said. “I do not wear jewellery or use any professional status for personal gain. I came today dressed respectfully, but I was treated with humiliation.”

He added that such treatment is not isolated to his experience and is often directed at ordinary citizens visiting the courts, warning against a growing trend of arbitrary behaviour by some within the police.

Pussewela’s complaint urges the Registrar and relevant authorities to take appropriate steps to prevent similar incidents, stating that such conduct “undermines the dignity of the judiciary and violates the rights of the public.”