GENEVA - A United Nations expert on Monday criticized Sri Lanka's move to impeach its chief justice,
saying it was part of a pattern of attacks on lawyers and a bid to stop
judges carrying out their work independently of politicians.
Parliament could vote next month to impeach Shirani Bandaranayake, the first woman to head Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, after she was found guilty by a parliamentary panel of financial irregularities and a failure to declare assets.
The case risks a destabilizing clash between President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government and the judiciary. Opposition parties have withdrawn from the process, saying it was unfair.
Gabriela Knaul, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said the case against Bandaranayake was part of a pattern of attacks and threats against members of the judiciary and lawyers and interference in their work.
"The recent steps
taken by the executive and legislative towards impeaching the chief
justice appear to be the culminating point of a series of attacks
against the judiciary for asserting its independence," Knaul said in a
statement.
"It is of high
concern to me that the procedure for the removal of the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court is extremely politicized and characterized by lack of
transparency, lack of clarity in the proceedings, as well as lack of
respect for the fundamental guarantees of due process and fair trial,"
she said.
A parliamentary
impeachment panel found Bandaranayake guilty on three counts earlier
this month. She has appealed against the decision and the United States,
the United Nations and Commonwealth have all raised concerns about the
process.
Knaul said article
107 of the Sri Lankan constitution, read together with Standing Orders
of Parliament, contravened international human rights law and needed
amending so that disciplinary proceedings against judges were conducted
by independent commissions.
Post a Comment