Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) UK activist Jayaraj Palihawadana has apologised unreservedly in court to South African human rights lawyer and activist, Yasmin Sooka, for making false statements against her.
According to the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), Jayaraj Palihawadana, until recently served as the UK representative of the political party of the former Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
In a statement, ITJP said that South African human rights lawyer and activist, Yasmin Sooka initiated a data protection claim in the UK under the Data Protection Act 2018, challenging the publication of inaccurate personal information detrimental to her reputation.
Jayaraj Palihawadana published a report that he sent to 47 diplomatic missions in Geneva in 2021 falsely claiming that Sooka was biased in favour of a proscribed terrorist group.
The ITPJ said that, eventually, Palihawadana agreed not only to pay substantial legal costs and compensation to Sooka but also agreed to retract his comments and publish an apology online in English and Sinhala.
Additionally, as the defendant, Palihawadana agreed to make a Statement in Open Court and issued an apology on his website.
