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Sri Lanka to amend laws to allow witnesses to testify from overseas

Xinhua, July 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's cabinet has given approval to amend existing laws to allow witnesses to testify from overseas, the Sri Lankan government announced on Wednesday.

The existing witness and victims protection law was brought into operation in May this year.

However, the government said there have been requests to allow witnesses from overseas to testify under this act.

Accordingly, the government has decided to amend the existing law enabling victims and witnesses to give evidences from outside the country through audio visual media, without being present in court.

"Such evidences may be given at a Sri Lankan Diplomatic Mission in the respective country and provisions should be enacted to protect the freedom of witnesses and prevent any influence," the government said.

The proposal made by Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksha to draft amendments to the law on witness and victim protection has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The cabinet has also approved a proposal from the minister to publish in the gazette and present in parliament a draft Code on Criminal Procedures (Amendment) Act, for enacting provisions enabling a detainee to obtain the service of a desired legal counsel by his expenditure, before presenting him before a magistrate, and to provide that service through a legal counsel of Sri Lanka's legal aid commission, for any detainee who cannot afford the expense. Endit