Tamil disappearances activist granted bail by Sri Lankan court

Tamil disappearances activist Jeyakumari Balendran, who was arrested and arbitrarily detained by Sri Lankan security forces almost 1 year ago, was granted bail by a court in Colombo today. Ms Jeyakumari was released with a Rs. 200,000 surety bail and instructed that she must sign in to a police station every month. She is also subject to a travel ban, with her passport having been confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities. Protestors had gathered outside of the courthouse in Colombo earlier today, as she arrived for her hearing, having being held in detention for 362 days. Both Ms Jeyakumari and her teenage daughter Vipoosika were detained on March 13 2014, by Sri Lanka’s anti-terror police under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Vipoosika was later released, however, her mother was transferred to Boosa prison, notorious for its endemic use of torture and sexual violence against Tamil detainees.