Human Rights Watch (HRW), expressing concerns over Sri Lanka’s due process in recent arrests of Muslims said Sri Lankan authorities should uphold due process rights and ensure that recently detained Muslim figures have proper access to lawyers, reports Colombo Page. “Sri Lankan authorities have a responsibility to prosecute those responsible for the horrific Easter Sunday attacks last year, but the arrests should be lawful, and not used to vilify an entire community. The recent arrests of well-known Muslims, combined with biased government actions and rising anti-Muslim hate speech, raise concerns for the broader safety of the Muslim community,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director. On April 14 the authorities arrested Hejaaz Hizbullah, a prominent lawyer, apparently under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). He was one of six people, including the brother of a former Minister and a customs official, whom Police recently detained for their alleged involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. Ramzy Razeek, a retired Government official who has a following on Facebook, was arrested on April 9 after decrying religious discrimination in a social media post.