Hejaaz urges Sallay to fight case if innocent

Tuesday, 9 June 2026 04:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Hejaaz Hizbullah

Senior lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, who spent 22 months in detention without bail under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), yesterday commented on reports that former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Major General (Retd.) Suresh Sallay had commenced a hunger strike, urging him to remain strong and contest the case through legal channels if he is innocent.

In a post on X, Hizbullah drew parallels with his own experience in detention and said those accused should focus on pursuing their legal defence.

“If he is innocent, Salley must stay strong and fight his case,” Hizbullah said.

“That’s what we did. We prayed, exercised, read, met our lawyers and fought our cases.”

Hizbullah also noted that Sallay had been aware of the conditions under which PTA detainees were held during his tenure in the intelligence service.

“Salley who detained us knows that the conditions for us were worse than what it is for him,” he added.

The remarks come amid public discussion surrounding Sallay’s detention and reports of a hunger strike, with supporters and critics continuing to debate the case on social media and at public demonstrations.

Hizbullah was arrested under the PTA in April 2020 and remained in detention for nearly two years before being released on bail. His case drew significant domestic and international attention, including concerns raised by human rights organisations over the use of prolonged detention under the PTA.