Court says it is not essential to report to the police to give a statement

According to the court decision, it is possible to give a statement directly to courts without going to a police station.

The Colombo Magestrates Court rejected a request by police to order a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer to be arrested for refusing to appear at the police.

Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told the court that Col. S Jayasekara, who has been supporting main opposition candidate at the recently concluded presidential election, is avoiding their order to report to the CID headquarters.

The lawyers appearing for the accused have meanwhile argued that Col Jayasekara fears arbitrary arrest if he appears at the CID.

Military officers dismissed

Gunaratna Wanninayake, a counsel appeared for the officer told BBC Sandeshaya that his client is afraid to appear before the CID as the police have been following his every move.

	A group of military officers were dismissed on Monday

The court has ordered the police to record a statement at the court premises on Wednesday, instead of recording it at the CID headquarters.

On Monday, a group of senior Sri Lankan military officers have been dismissed for what defence officials called being a "threat to national security".

The defence ministry said the officers had been "sent on compulsory retirement".

The move follows a bitter general election campaign in which incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated former army chief Gen Sarath Fonseka.

Both have claimed there have been assassination plots against them.

The BBC Sinhala service has learned that those dismissed included three major-generals and four brigadiers.

Authorities earlier arrested a group of supporters of Gen Fonseka, including military personnel, after a raid Gen Fonseka's office in Colombo.

In a statement, amnesty International has called on Sri Lanka to end its crackdown on journalists, political activists and human rights defenders following the presidential election.

"Opposition supporters and journalists have been arrested, several prominent newspaper editors have received death threats and trade unionists and opposition supporters have been harassed since the poll," the statement said.