Sri Lankan Professionals handed over a petition to Australian High Commission in Colombo last week calling to expedite a full and fair investigation on Lankan student Kamer Nizamdeen held over terror charges in Australia. The petition was signed by 110 top professionals in the country. On Tuesday a peaceful vigil was held near Independent Square attended by family, friends, civil society activists and school mates calling for his early release. Kamer arrested on August 30 is held since in ‘solitary confinement under high security’ according to his family. The placards held at the vigil read, ‘18 days yet no access to family’, ‘Kamar is innocent’ and ‘expedite investigations,’.
The counter terrorism police chief was quoted in media as saying that the police did not believe Kamer was capable of any terror attacks described in a notebook which he once owned and misplaced a month ago, yet he is being treated as a dangerous terror suspect, a family member said.
Kamer has denied the handwriting in the notebook which detail terror attacks on places and top political figures, as his.
A maternal uncle of Kamer, Consultant Rheumatologist Dr. Kaleel Cassim reading out a public statement at the peaceful vigil on behalf of the family said, the family had utmost faith in Australian judicial process. He said Kamer has been framed and that they have faith that Kamar will be proved innocent. The rights activists in Sri Lanka said they were alarmed by the lack of information on Kamer’s situation in detention adding,”We are not aware if investigations into the allegations against him have been completed and whether he has been formally charged.”
They called upon the Australian government to guarantee Karmer’s fundamental rights, ensuring that he is provided with the full range of fair trial rights as a suspect. It was also urged that Kamer be given access to his attorney and make contact with his family.
According to the family the student was permitted to contact one family member at the time of his arrest but no access to legal counsel or family thereafter. He did not have legal representation when he was produced before court to consider bail. An attorney was allowed to meet him after seven days of his arrest.
The headmaster of S.Thomas’s preparatory school, Rev.Dushantha Rodrigo who took part in the vigil said the fact Kamer attended an Anglican multi ethnic school for 11 years was ample evidence that he or his family did not harbor extremist views.
The Consul General of Sydney Lal Wickremathunga has been the only person to meet him besides his lawyer at the maximum security Sydney prison. Kamer had worried about his family, but was confident of his release, according to ABC news. The University of New South Wales student is classified as a national security risk. Dr.Cassim said, “We urge the investigators to apprehend the culprits who actually wrote those notes, they are at large and a danger to society and property of Australia.”
The uncle also added that the family is alarmed at how Kamer was arrested hastily based on flimsy evidence - a notebook which was not even in his possession.