UNP party members stated that the secret surveillance of telecommunication devices of parliamentarians is an infringement of privacy and a blatant disregard of parliamentary privileges earned by members of parliament.
Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo today (18), MP Ashu Marasinghe, MP Mujibur Rahman and MP J.C.Alawathuwala expressed their contempt over the surveillance of mobile phones stating that it is an infringement of privacy.
The UNP parliamentarians stated that data may be extracted from a private telecommunication device only in the event of suspected terrorism or if a judicial body mandates the extraction of data.
They further stated that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has acted in a biased manner as the CID has chosen to probe selected members of parliament even though it has been reported that Arjun Aloysius had made several telephone calls to over 40 parliamentarians.
The UNP part members further stated that the members of the COPE committee did not have any transaction with Arjun Aloysius as they would have possessed the power to bail out Mr.Aloysius should they have had any contact with him.
It was further stated that the same laws enacted by the UNP are being used against UNP parliamentarians within the current political demographic.
