Mr. Weliamuna has appeared for many corruption and human rights cases

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has appealed to the Supreme Court, judiciary and the Bar Association (BASL) in Sri Lanka to actively get involved in the protection of lawyers following a grenade attack on the house of the head of Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) on Saturday evening.

JC Weliamuna, the executive director of the TISL, has constantly appeared in many high profile cases relating to corruption and abuses of human rights.

Cases against police

Transparency International's annual report, published last week, listed Sri Lanka as the 92nd on the corruption list.

The report said, "lack of transparency in political finance and poor parliamentary oversight are quoted as a key governance problem in Sri Lanka".

What is taking place is a most comprehensive form of repression with the view to silence everyone who is making any attempt to seek protection of law. This is one of the most terrible times in the country   AHRC director, Basil Fernando

"Several cases are pending in which some powerful politicians are the defendants. Last Friday the supreme court issued special orders for investigation of a case that Mr. Weliamuna appeared in which a young man from Kandana complained of attempted assassination by some police officers," AHRC said in a statement.

Police examining the house have found another unexploded grenade, according to the rights watchdog.

The TISL and the AHRC have expressed serious concern over continuing attacks on activists, journalists and civil society.

'New trend'

"Although there is no indication of the source of the attack, it is reasonable to assume that the attack was aimed at the work that he's involved with as a human rights lawyer and an active opponent against corruption in Sri Lanka," a TISL statement said.

AHRC director Basil Fernando said a trend is seem to be emerging in which the attacks on activists and journalists are now focusing on senior lawyers.

He said: "Even at the worst times in the late 1980s no senior lawyer was targeted. What is taking place is a most comprehensive form of repression with the view to silence everyone who is making any attempt to seek protection of law. This is one of the most terrible times in the country."

The latest incident came amid increasing complaints by activists that Sri Lanka is becoming one of the most dangerous places in the world for human rights campaigners and journalists due to a worsening climate of violence.