People need to be given more knowledge in law so that they themselves can act against injustice, said Justice N.K. Udalagama highlighting the importance of access to justice in a society. It might take time but things can change, he said.
We had free education for a long time and the result of that is higher literacy rate among the public. Free Medical health resulted higher life expectancy among people. But what we are missing in Sri Lanka is access to justice especially the poor people, Justice N.K. Udalagama said.
Justice Udalagama spoke attending a special event as the chief guest held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute today to issue the new report on Pre-trial Detention in Sri Lanka: Reforming the System of Bails and Upholding the Right to Speedy trial. The new publication highlights the existing bail and remand procedures in the country and the urgent need for policy reforms to strengthen the Sri Lankan pre-trial detention system.
Solicitor General Presidents Counsel Palitha Fernando said that the subject of the new report, gives a mush needed attention to a problem the Sri Lankan Legal system was facing and struggling to find a solution for long time.
The report was published by the Lawyers For Human Rights and Development (LHRD) with the financial and technical assistance from the Equal to Justice project of the UNDP nationally implemented by the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration.
Speaking at the occasion Executive Director of the LHRD Kalyananda Thiranagama said that their publication will be a guide for the lawyers and law makers of the country. He said that at present Sri Lankan prisons are holding three times their actual capacity. In 2009, around 284 remand detainees have languished in custody for over five years without being charged or without being brought to trial.
Many of them are detained on the allegation of involvement in trivial offenses punishable with a penalty far less than the time they have already been in custody. Reforming the system of bail and remand could drastically reduce the prison population and contribute towards the improvement of prison conditions