Habeas Corpus of 24 youth made to disappear at Navatkuli – Court orders that the AG could appear for Accused

Jaffna High Courts ordered yesterday that the Attorney General could appear for accused of the habeas Corpus filed on behalf of 24 youth arrested by the Army at Navatkuli and subsequently made to disappear.

The hearing of this case was taken up before the HC Judge, Ilancheliyan. He delivered the above order during the hearing.

Back ground.

In the year 1996, 24 Tamil youths were arrested by Army led by then Officer Commanding of the Navatkuli Army Camp, Thumintha Kepatipolana. The youths were made to disappear.12 individual Habeas Corpus es were filed in last November. 03 of them were accepted by the Jaffna HC. Hearing of the cases is being held before Judge Illencheliyan.

The judge said that the accused had served a government servant. Hence the AG has the obligation to appear for Government servants and hence he could appear for the accused in this case.