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srilawsby aturio
As enacted
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Part VI · Entitlement of a Victim of Crime or Witness to Obtain Protection

24. Authority or a Commission to protect vulnerable victims and witnesses

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

(1)

With the view to protecting the interests of vulnerable victims of crime or witnesses under exceptional circumstances, the Authority may, either acting on a notification received from a Court or from a Commission or on its own motion, by itself or with the assistance of any designated public officer or any other person or organization, directly provide protection to such a victim of crime or a witness.

(2)

(a)

With the view to protecting the interest of vulnerable victims of crime or witnesses, a

Commission may, after prior notice to the

Authority, acting on a request by a victim of a crime or a witness or on its own motion by itself or with the assistance of any designated public officer, directly provide protection to such a victim of crime or a witness, whose statement or testimony the Commission intends to record or has already recorded.

(b)

In the situation referred to in paragraph (a), the

Division shall provide protection to the victim of crime or witness, only with the prior approval of the Commission concerned and after the issue to the Authority of a notice pertaining to the same.

Assistance to and Protection of Victims of

(c)

In a situation where a Commission decides by itself or with the assistance of a designated public officer to provide protection to a victim of crime or witness, the Commission shall not obtain for such purpose the advice, services or assistance, including resources, from any person other than a public officer:

Provided however, the Commission may at any time transfer the responsibility of providing protection to such a victim of crime or a witness, to either the Authority or the

Division, and where the responsibility is so transferred, it shall be the duty of the Authority or the Division, to undertake to provide the necessary protection to such a victim of crime or witness.

(3)

The Authority, the Division or a Commission shall not solicit or obtain any assistance from any foreign government or national, foreign or international organization, in providing assistance or protection to a victim of crime or a witness, without the prior sanction of the Attorney-General and the Secretary to the Ministry of the Minister in charge of the subject of Foreign Affairs the grant of which shall be considered and decided upon by the

Attorney-General and such secretary as expeditiously as possible.

Read on from s 25

Part VII

Compensation

Read on from Part VII

Part VIII

Testimony Through Audio-Visual Linkage

Read on from Part VIII

Part IX

General

Read on from Part IX

Schedules