International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act 2007 · As enacted
4. Entitlement of an alleged offender
Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
A person charged of a criminal offence under any written law, shall be entitled—
to be afforded an opportunity of being tried in his presence;
to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing and where he does not have any such assistance, to be informed of that right;
International Covenant on Civil and Political
to have legal assistance assigned to him in appropriate cases where the interest of justice so requires and without any payment by him, where he does not have sufficient means to pay for such assistance:
to examine or to have examined the witnesses against him and to obtain the attendance of witnesses on his behalf, under the same conditions as witnesses called against him;
to have the assistance of an interpreter where such person cannot understand or speak the language in which the trial is being conducted; and
not to be compelled to testify against himself or to confess guilt.
Every person convicted of a criminal offence under any written law, shall have the right to appeal to a higher court against such conviction and any sentence imposed.
No person shall be tried or punished for any criminal offence for which such person has already been convicted or acquitted according to law.