The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to social activist Kelum Jayasumana, who was previously remanded for allegedly distributing false information on Facebook regarding purported commemorations of LTTE heroes in the Northern Province.
The case was heard today (December 4) before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) claimed that the suspect had downloaded and reposted a photograph of a woman in France on Facebook. The image allegedly featured banned LTTE symbols and was said to have disrupted public order and ethnic harmony.
However, the CID admitted that no actual hero commemorations had occurred in the North, and they requested to further remand the suspect, citing ongoing investigations.
The Magistrate questioned the CID officers on whether they had recorded and submitted statements to confirm that the post caused a disturbance to public order. The officers acknowledged that no such evidence had been presented to the court.
Chief Magistrate Gamage emphasized that suspects cannot be remanded without concrete evidence demonstrating public harm or disturbance. He further stated that individuals could not be detained based solely on assumptions about their intentions.
Consequently, the Magistrate ordered Kelum Jayasumana’s release on two surety bonds and scheduled the next hearing for April 3, 2025.
