The officials of Mullaitivu Quarantine Centre have decided to release the 16 trade union activists who were placed under isolation at the facility following a protest they had staged last week.

More than 30 protesters including General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) Joseph Stalin, who were engaged in a protest at the Polduwa Roundabout in Battaramulla, were arrested on July 08 over unlawful assembly in violation of quarantine regulations.

The demonstration had been organized by the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF), the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) and the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) against the proposed General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill.

The arrestees were later released on bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court under the provisions of Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance.

Additional Magistrate Kanchana Neranjala de Silva had ordered to release them on a personal bail of Rs 25,000 each.

The police, alleging that the protest had caused a severe public disturbance, had requested the court to place the suspects in remand custody and order them to be sent to quarantine.

The defence attorney hit back, stressing that the police are using quarantine laws for political purposes and that they have taken steps to suppress the freedom of speech and freedom expression of the defendants.

However, Joseph Stalin and 15 of the accused were subsequently placed under quarantine at the facility in Mullaitivu.