- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 17, 2024
- Event Description
The Police today (17) utilised water cannons and tear gas to disperse a protest organised by the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) near the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
The demonstration aimed at highlighting and seeking solutions to the challenges confronting the state university system.
As the protest march approached Wijerama from the university’s front, law enforcement deployed tear gas and water cannons on five separate occasions.
The confrontations resulted in heated situations between the police and the participating students.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 27, 2024
- Event Description
On 27th February, police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of protesting students near the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The protest march was organised by the students’ union of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Sri Jayewardenepura University. It was launched to demand solutions to several concerns including issues related to hostels, cafeterias and delays in ‘Mahapola’ scholarship payments.
Police have used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a group of protesting students near the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
The protest march was organized by the students’ union of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Sri Jayewardenepura University.
The agitation was reportedly launched demanding solutions to several concerns including issues related to hostels, cafeterias and delays in ‘Mahapola’ scholarship payments.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 6, 2024
- Event Description
The convenor of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Madushan Chandrajith was arrested after the Police dispersed a protest staged in Colombo, on Wednesday.
The Police fired water cannons on the protest organised by the IUSF in Borella.
A confrontation took place between the Police and the protesters when the protesters were blocked near the Colombo National Hospital.
The Police later fired water on the protesters and surrounded Chandrajith and arrested him.
Some minor staff of the hospital were seen objecting to the arrest.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 4, 2024
- Event Description
On the 76th Independence Day of Sri Lanka, the undergraduates of the University of Jaffna, in alliance with civil society groups based in the North, organized a peaceful protest in Kilinochchi. These protests highlighted the ongoing acts of injustice and violations by the state and the Sinhala-Buddhisization of the North and East of the country and demanded a political solution to the national question.
The students who participated in the protests were attacked brutally by the police with water cannons and tear gas. The police were seen dragging the students by their arms, pushing them around and forcing them onto the ground. Several students who took part in the protest were arrested.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association strongly condemns the police’s attempt to suppress the protest using brute force. Yesterday’s violence demonstrates that there is no freedom for the Tamils in Sri Lanka to assemble peacefully and fight for their rights in a democratic manner even on the Independence Day of the country.
The Tamils in Sri Lanka have been fighting for their political rights and resisting state oppression through non-violent means since the end of the thirty-year-long armed struggle in 2009. There have been protests led by Tamils in the North-East of the country against land grabs, militarization and Sinhala-Buddhisization. Some of these protests made a call for the release of the political prisoners and justice for those who were made to disappear. Instead of addressing these issues in a democratic manner, the state often unleashed majoritarian violence on the protesting Tamils.
The current Sri Lankan regime tries to ensure its survival by suppressing protests. It uses draconian laws and violence to curtail, stifle and take away people’s rights to free speech, assembly and protest. The attacks on the peaceful student protesters on the 76th Independence Day is a manifestation of these authoritarian methods of governance and Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association emphasizes that the people of this country across ethnic, religious, linguistic and regional boundaries should speak up against the violence unleashed on the Independence Day which undermined the very idea of ‘independence’ and turned it into a farce. It is only by finding just and lasting solutions to the ethnic conflict and the economic crisis that the government can win the trust and confidence of the people. The government will never be able to contain the resistance it faces today by introducing repressive laws or resorting to violence. At a time when we are faced with a serious crisis, it is important that we come together to protect the democratic spaces available to us today. The Association believes firmly that it is only by acting collectively and courageously in these spaces that we can strengthen democracy and defeat state oppression.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association
On the 76th Independence Day of Sri Lanka, the undergraduates of the University of Jaffna, in alliance with civil society groups based in the North, organized a peaceful protest in Kilinochchi. These protests highlighted the ongoing acts of injustice and violations by the state and the Sinhala-Buddhisization of the North and East of the country and demanded a political solution to the national question.
The students who participated in the protests were attacked brutally by the police with water cannons and tear gas. The police were seen dragging the students by their arms, pushing them around and forcing them onto the ground. Several students who took part in the protest were arrested.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association strongly condemns the police’s attempt to suppress the protest using brute force. Yesterday’s violence demonstrates that there is no freedom for the Tamils in Sri Lanka to assemble peacefully and fight for their rights in a democratic manner even on the Independence Day of the country.
The Tamils in Sri Lanka have been fighting for their political rights and resisting state oppression through non-violent means since the end of the thirty-year-long armed struggle in 2009. There have been protests led by Tamils in the North-East of the country against land grabs, militarization and Sinhala-Buddhisization. Some of these protests made a call for the release of the political prisoners and justice for those who were made to disappear. Instead of addressing these issues in a democratic manner, the state often unleashed majoritarian violence on the protesting Tamils.
The current Sri Lankan regime tries to ensure its survival by suppressing protests. It uses draconian laws and violence to curtail, stifle and take away people’s rights to free speech, assembly and protest. The attacks on the peaceful student protesters on the 76th Independence Day is a manifestation of these authoritarian methods of governance and Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association emphasizes that the people of this country across ethnic, religious, linguistic and regional boundaries should speak up against the violence unleashed on the Independence Day which undermined the very idea of ‘independence’ and turned it into a farce. It is only by finding just and lasting solutions to the ethnic conflict and the economic crisis that the government can win the trust and confidence of the people. The government will never be able to contain the resistance it faces today by introducing repressive laws or resorting to violence. At a time when we are faced with a serious crisis, it is important that we come together to protect the democratic spaces available to us today. The Association believes firmly that it is only by acting collectively and courageously in these spaces that we can strengthen democracy and defeat state oppression.
The University of Jaffna Teachers’ Association
- Impact of Event
- 6
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 25, 2024
- Event Description
HRD Asanka Abeyrathna, was participating in a protest calling for justice for families of the disappeared, in Matara. The Police confronted protestors and tried to disperse the protest and leaflet distribution, prior to it even beginning. Following an altercation with the protestors and the police, they arrested Asanka. A truck driver transporting sounds etc., and person who got the sound permit, for a parallel event also on enforced disappearances, were also arrested. All 3 were subsequently released without charge, after statements were taken down.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
Case shared by FORUM-ASIA member LST
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 25, 2023
- Event Description
On 25 December 2023, Sri Lankan investigative journalist and human rights defender Tharindu Jayawardhana was targeted by a cyber attack in which hackers gained control of his Facebook account. He is still unable to access his account, but has taken immediate steps to protect his security.
Tharindu Jayawardhana is a prominent investigative journalist and human rights defender who has built a large following on Facebook and other online platforms. He uses this medium to raise awareness and campaign on human rights issues and violations in Sri Lanka, particularly focusing on police brutality and excesses.
Shortly before the cyber attack, Tharindu Jayawardhana had used his Facebook account to share sensitive information regarding the controversial appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Sri Lanka. The appointment of this officer took place despite widespread allegations of abuse, custodial torture, and a Supreme Court decision on 14 December 2023 that held him responsible for torture. Deshabandu Tennakoon has a history of targeting human rights defenders, including an online death threat against Tharindu Jayawardhana in June 2021.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Online Attack and Harassment, Surveillance
- Rights Concerned
- Internet freedom, Freedom of expression Online, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to privacy
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Suspected state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 11, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 6, 2024
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities must immediately drop their investigations into journalists G.P. Nissanka and Bimal Ruhunage and allow them to report without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
On March 6, police arrested freelance journalist Bimal Ruhunage from his home in the Kurunegala district of North Western Province, according to the Media Organizations Collective statement, as well as the journalist and his lawyer Keerthi Dunusinghe, who spoke to CPJ.
Police also seized Ruhunage’s mobile phone and wallet, which were returned to his wife later that day, the journalist said.
Ruhunage said he arrived at a local bus station four days prior, wearing his press identification card, to interview a mother seeking to give her child up for adoption. However, a police officer attempted to stop the journalist from filming them. Ruhunage continued to film as the officer took the mother and child to a police station in a three-wheeler taxi, footage of which was published by the U.S.-based news website Boston Lanka.
Following his arrest, Ruhunage was held in police remand until March 11, when he was released on bail, according to the journalist and his lawyer. Ruhunage has been ordered to appear in court on May 13.
“The arrests and criminal investigations launched into Sri Lankan journalists G.P. Nissanka and Bimal Ruhunage are unacceptable reactions by authorities and could create a chilling effect on the media,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna. “Sri Lankan journalists should not fear detention, seizure of their devices, or criminal cases for their work ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections to be held later this year.”
Egodamahawatta and Dunusinghe told CPJ that their clients were remanded into police custody despite being investigated for bailable offenses.
Nissanka stands accused of violating section 6 of the Computer Crime Act related to offenses committed against national security and a section of the police ordinance related to spreading false reports to create alarm and panic, Egodamahawatta said.
Separately, Ruhunage said that police informed him at the time of his arrest that he was being investigated for obstruction of police duties. However, the police complaint filed in court cited a section of the penal code pertaining to the use of criminal force to deter a public officer from discharge of duty, according to the journalist and his lawyer.
Ruhunage told CPJ that a police source informed him that the journalist was suspected of authoring a Voice of Sri Lanka report alleging that a senior police official did not disclose his ownership of a hotel in what may be an ethics violation.
Ministry of Defense spokesperson Nalin Herath did not respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment. CPJ also called and messaged police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa for comment but did not receive any response.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 10, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 5, 2024
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities must immediately drop their investigations into journalists G.P. Nissanka and Bimal Ruhunage and allow them to report without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
On the evening of March 5, officers with the Sri Lanka police service’s Criminal Investigation Department arrested G.P. Nissanka, owner and editor of the news site Ravana Lanka News, from his home in the Pallebedda area of the southern Sabaragamuwa Province, according to news reports and the Media Organizations Collective, a group of Sri Lankan organizations advocating for press freedom and freedom of expression.
Amila Egodamahawatta, Nissanka’s lawyer, told CPJ that the journalist was held in police remand until he was released on bail March 20. His mobile phone, seized during his arrest, remains in police custody as of Friday, Egodamahawatta said.
Nissanka’s arrest followed a complaint by Vikum Liyanage, commander of the Sri Lankan army, after Ravana Lanka News published an article accusing the commander of corruption and malfeasance.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Armed forces/ Military, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Apr 10, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 20, 2024
- Event Description
Twenty-nine persons including 02 Buddhist monks and 03 females have been arrested during the protest staged by the ‘Jana Aragala Viyaparaya’ in Pettah today (20), police said.
It is reported that Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) activist Duminda Nagamuwa and youth activist Lahiru Weerasekara are among those arrested during the protest.
Meanwhile, at least 05 police officers have been injured during the clashes with protesters, according to police.
Earlier, police had resorted to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters in Pettah, Colombo.
The demonstration had been organized by the ‘Jana Aragala Viyaparaya’ (People’s Struggle Movement) based on several issues including the soaring cost of living and certain foreign agreements.
The protest march had commenced from near the Fort Railway Station and they were heading in the direction of Pettah when riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them, Ada Derana reporter said.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community), Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 28, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 27, 2023
- Event Description
Police dispersed a fast unto-death campaign in front of the Ministry of Higher Education premises in Colombo, organized by non-academic staff trade unions of government schools. They demanded solutions to workplace discrimination they faced which included not giving them school term holidays, not allowing them to leave once school finishes along with other employees, not having a promotion scheme, and not having a national policy governing them. On the 20th of November, they agreed to halt their protest temporarily, agreeing to a promise made by the Minister of Education to solve their issues within a week. As the minister’s promise failed, they began the campaign again on 27th November. The Police forcefully removed their banner, and ordered the protesters to leave the place. As the trade unionists did not comply with the order, the Police forcefully removed them.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 21, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 27, 2023
- Event Description
On 27th December members of nearly 600 families whose houses were damaged due to the central expressway initiated a Satyagraha near Gattuwana entrance, Kurunegala. While Satyagraha was in progress and protesters started installing a tent, police came and took all the items that were brought to build the tent. Also, when the demonstration began a huge number of police officers were deployed. The group participating in the Satyagraha had brought the materials needed to prepare the attic in a small lorry in the morning and they planned to build this attic so as not to obstruct the road under the bridge near the Kurunegala Gattuwana Central Expressway entrance, said Sanjeya Kulathilaka, the convenor of the family association.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 21, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 8, 2023
- Event Description
IBC Tamil media journalist Letchumanan Thevapratheepan, the Batticaloa correspondent, was called to the Valaichchenei police station on 8th December. It was said that he had reported on a Tamil Martyrs memorial held at a burial ground in the Eastern Province. Thevapratheepan was asked to bring the registration certificate of the motorbike he had used to come to the police station and questioned on the Tamil Martyrs memorial held at the burial ground in Tharawi, Batticaloa on 27 November. In addition, the head and six other members of the commemoration committee were also arrested that day by the police and forcibly removed red and yellow flags at the beginning of the commemoration at the Tarawei Maveerar Burial Ground, which was destroyed by the Sri Lanka Army in 2009.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 21, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 24, 2023
- Event Description
The Mullaitivu Magistrates Court issued an order on Friday 24 November 2023, prohibiting all remembrance events and places in Mullaitivu dedicated to fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres ahead of Maaveerar Day (27 November 2023). The order, prompted by complaints made by the Mullaitivu police department, specifically targets several individuals and organisations involved in organising the commemorative events in the district.
Following the issuance of the order, a remembrance event in Mullaitivu was disrupted after the police presented the court order to attendees.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 17, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 4, 2023
- Event Description
Police have used water cannons to disperse a protest near the Parliament Roundabout a short while ago, Ada Derana reporter said.
The relevant protest march was organised by the women’s wing of the National People’s Power (NPP) this morning (04) against the rising cost of living, unbearable tax burden on the people and other issues in the country.
Riot police had resorted to using water cannons as the protesters attempted to march towards the Parliament along the Parliament Road, the reporter said.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community), Woman
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 17, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 9, 2023
- Event Description
A group of journalists visiting to Mayilathamadu Batticaloa to interview farmers who were protesting for more than 50 days has been stopped Mayilathamadu checkpoint by police today without any legal basis.
In a letter to the Inspector General of Police in a singed letter the group has urged to pay immediate attention to the incident, response to it and hold those responsible accountable.
The letter:
As a media team, we came to visit Mayilathamadu to interview farmers an report on land issues today 9th November 2023. Police personnel at Mayilathamadu checkpoint stopped us around 1010am and refused to let us pass through. But we saw others were allowed to go.
We called the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG), Eastern Province twice, but didn’t receive a proper response.
We were informed by police officers Herath (60073) and HMM Widyaratne (36739) at Mayilthmadhu checkpoint at about 1230pm that they would not allow us to proceed to Mayilathamadu to talk to farmers, as per SDIG East’s orders. The Director of Investigations of Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr. Lal also informed us same. Neither informed us the legal basis an authority to stop us. We messaged SDIG East asking legal basis for stopping us but didn’t receive a response.
We believe this is a violation of our constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression, and publication (article 14-1-a), freedom to engage in a lawful occupation (article 14-1-g), and freedom of movement (article 14-1-h), equal protection of the law (article 12-1) non-discrimination (article 12-2).
This is also an offence against Article 332 of the penal code (wrongful restraint)
We kindly request your immediate attention and response to this and hold those responsible accountable. And ensure such violations are prevented in the future.
Thank you.
-
Mr. Rukshan Fernando (Ruki Fernando). Columnist for newspapers such as The Morning, Daily Mirror, Sunday Observer, Anidda.
-
Ms. Kamanthi Wickramasinghe Deputy Features Editor, Daily Mirror
-
Ms. H.M. Rekha Nilukshi. Freelance Journalist
-
Mr. Ganeshan Jegan, News editor at Monara.com
-
Ms. Melani Manel Perera, Asia News Correspondent & Mojo News Lanka Reporter
-
- Impact of Event
- 5
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Media Worker, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 17, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 5, 2023
- Event Description
Six Tamil students have been released on bail by Eravur Magistrate court after they were arrested earlier today for participating in a protest against the Sri Lankan government’s seizure of land and settling of Sinhalese farmers in Mayilathamadu.
The six students were arrested by Santhiveli police after their vehicle was intercepted as they travelled back to Jaffna once the protest had finished. Sri Lankan police stated that the students were arrested for an "illegal gathering". Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam tweeted that when he asked Batticaloa's Senior Superintendent of Police what the illegality was, he reportedly responded that the students had taken part in a procession without permission.
Ponnambalam also highlighted that prior to the arrests, the Santhiveli police had explained to the students how to execute the rally.
"What is clear is that it was the SSP Batticaloa and above that has given pressure to the Santhively police to arrest the students as an afterthought," the TNPF leader tweeted.
The University of Jaffna's student union released a statement condemning the arrests and the Sri Lankan police for "obstructing democratic protests."
The student union also condemned the police for not taking action against extremist Sinhala Buddhist monk, Ampitiye Sumanarathana, for recently threatening to kill all of the Tamils in the South but arrested Tamil students for expressing solidarity with the farmers.
Since September 15, livestock farmers in Mayilathamadu, Batticaloa, have been staging protests demonstrating against the Sri Lankan government’s seizure of land that they have traditionally used for cattle grazing. Many Sinhalese farmers have been settled in the land seized by the Mahaweli Authority.
- Impact of Event
- 6
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Land rights defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 17, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 21, 2024
- Event Description
The Fort Magistrate's Court issued an order barring the National Assets Protection Movement from entering and holding protests at several key locations in Colombo, including the Ceramic Junction.
The order was made after considering the submissions made by the Fort Police OIC.
The court order specifically prohibits the National Assets Protection Movement and its representatives from: blocking access to the Ceramic Junction, NSK Roundabout, Baladaksha Mawatha, and Galle Road.
They are also barred from entering the premises of the Ministry of Finance, the President's Office, and the Central Bank.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 13, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 5, 2024
- Event Description
During a protest held in front of the University of Colombo, tensions escalated as a group, which included members of the University of Peradeniya Student Union, clashed with the police.
A protest took place opposite the University of Colombo, organized by the University of Peradeniya Students’ Union.
The protest aimed to address the erosion of fundamental rights that impact the general population, including access to free education and healthcare.
Notably, students from various other universities across the island also participated in this demonstration.
Earlier in the day, the Cinnamon Gardens Police made a formal request to the Colombo Chief Magistrate, Prasanna Alwis, seeking an order to halt a protest march organized by several university student bodies. However, the Magistrate rejected the request.
Multiple buses carrying students from University of Peradeniya underwent repeated inspections by the police during their journey.
Later in the afternoon, student activists congregated near thr Colombo University to voice their grievances. The police advised them not to obstruct the road.
Despite the police instructions, the students persisted with their protest march. Consequently, measures were taken to disperse the group.
Subsequently, the police deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse the students.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 13, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 31, 2024
- Event Description
Ten protesters, eight men and two women, were arrested today outside the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Colombo.
The group had been demonstrating since morning, demanding the arrest of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella for his alleged involvement in a recent drug procurement scandal.
Police spokesperson DIG Nihal Talduwa confirmed the arrests and stated that despite repeated warnings and attempts to disperse the gathering peacefully, the protesters continued their sit-in protest, prompting police intervention.
Meanwhile, Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella issued a statement this afternoon acknowledging the summons from the CID but claiming his inability to present himself due to conflicting commitments.
He cited a scheduled appearance at the Colombo High Court in another case and his participation in a meeting of the Ministerial Sub-committee on Public Expenditure Management, chaired by the President, as reasons for his absence.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 29, 2024
- Event Description
Social media activist Piyath Nikeshala has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department, police said.
He was reportedly arrested after being summoned before the CID to obtain a statement over publishing a recorded telephone conversation between Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and another social media activist on his YouTube channel.
Piyath Nikeshala was also arrested on June last year over the live streaming on social media of the incident of burning President Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence in Colombo on July 09, 2022
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: pro-democracy defender arrested again
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 5, 2024
- Event Description
The Police dragged away the president of the Vavuniya Association of Relatives of the Enforced Disappeared (ARED) Sivananthan Jenita and Meera Jasmine Charlesnise.
The activists were protesting in Vavuniya with the families of the disappeared when the Police arrived and ordered them to leave.
A heated exchange of words took place between the activists and the Police.
The Police later dragged the two activists into a Police a bus.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe was on a visit to the North for meetings which was also attended by members of the Illangai Tamil Arasu Katchi.
Tamil families of the disappeared have been protesting for approximately 5 years continuously, demanding justice and accountability for their disappeared family members. This particular protest was held outside the Vavuniya Municiple Council, where President, Ranil Wickremesinghe was attending a meeting. The two activist family members were arrested from the protest, by the Police.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 6, 2023
- Event Description
A group of masked gunmen threatened a Tamil activist earlier this month, warning “We will definitely kill you” if he continued to expose details of an alleged secret military-run torture site in the East.
Wimalasena Lavakumar said the incident occurred at his home when six men with T-56 and AK-47 rifles arrived on motorbikes at his home in Kiran.
“You have opened your mouth about many things in Batticaloa,” the gunmen told him. “Theevuchchenai is a hidden matter. You don’t start talking about it or going digging. You were wrong to do that.”
“Today we came to bump you off, but first, this is a warning,” they continued. “Your type are the ones who force us to dust our weapons and carry them again. If you engage in such activity once more, we will definitely kill you.”
The incident occurred after Lavakumar spoke out against a secret torture site in Theevuchchenai on the border with Polonnaruwa. The camp is allegedly run by Pillaiyan, alias Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, a government-linked paramilitary leader.
“I am pretty certain that none other than state intelligence units and paramilitaries affiliated to the government are able to carry out such acts,” Lavakumar told reporters.
“Because be it abductions during the past period, be it genocide, be it killings; as no proper investigation has been conducted to find out the many illegal acts committed by these and no one connected to these offences have been brought to justice and punished, they have been able to once again, freely engage in this weapons culture, death threats and the abduction of people.”
Lavakumar is a well-known activist in the Eastern province, and was previously arrested under the much-criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, after he was part of a group held a memorial event at a beach in Batticaloa to mark Tamil Genocide Day in 2021.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Death threat, Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 22, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Sep 8, 2023
- Event Description
The third day of excavation at the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave, conducted on September 8th, took a distressing turn when police officers at the site were observed harassing media personnel, Balanathan Sathees and Vijayaratnam Saravanan, in an apparent attempt to intimidate them.
The two journalists were in the midst of conducting interviews with individuals connected to the mass grave site. As students from the Medical Faculty of the University of Jaffna observed the excavation and exhumation process, Sathees and Saravanan were engaged in conversations with some of these students, seeking to understand their impressions of the mass grave's significance.
During this process, the police informed them that they could not remain in their current location and attempted to forcibly remove them from the site, while the journalists were carrying out their professional duties.
Subsequent to this troubling incident, the police issued a warning to all journalists, instructing them to remain on the far side of the mass grave site. This action appeared to be in contradiction to the assurance previously provided by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO), appointed as the lead in the excavation by the Mullaitivu Magistrate Court.
The incident was promptly brought to the attention of the Magistrate Court judge, who was present at the site, observing the excavation process. The judge reiterated to the journalists that they were welcome to observe the proceedings from a safe distance, consistent with the practice extended to all other observers.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 16, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 24, 2023
- Event Description
Five people were arrested during a protest staged near the US Embassy in Colombo in support of Palestine.
A heavy Police security net was placed around the Embassy as a group of people gathered and protested against the US Government’s support to Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The protesters shouted slogans against the US and carried placards.
According to reports, some of the protesters attempted to burn a photograph of the US President resulting in a heated exchange between the Police and the protesters.
The Police arrested three protesters and took them to the Colpetty Police Station.
Subsequently, two more protesters who entered the Colpetty Police Station were also arrested.
- Impact of Event
- 5
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 16, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 9, 2023
- Event Description
The 21 university students arrested during a protest march in Colombo on Thursday (09 Nov.) have been granted bail.
The relevant order was issued by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court, when the case was taken up this afternoon.
The group was arrested during a protest march staged by the Medical Faculty students of the Sabaragamuwa University near the Maradana Railway Station in Colombo yesterday afternoon.
Police had reportedly used water cannons to disperse the protesting students, prior to which Deans Road in Colombo 10 was closed due to the protest march. Meanwhile, severe traffic congestion was reported along Deans Road and adjacent roads as a result of the agitation.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 16, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 17, 2024
- Event Description
The Maligakanda Magistrate's Court issued an order today barring nine individuals, including the convener of the Inter-University Students' Federation, from holding protests and demonstrations on several key roads in Colombo.
The court order comes in response to a request filed by the Maradana Police OIC, who informed the court about plans for a student march starting near Viharamaha Devi Park and moving towards the Colombo Fort railway station via the Lipton Roundabout.
The court order prohibits the nine individuals, including the IUSF convener, from holding demonstrations and marches on Kularatne Mawatha, Orabi Pasha Mawatha, Sangharaja Mawatha, Deans Road, Darley Road, Hospital Square, and surrounding roads and sidewalks.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 31, 2024
- Event Description
Ten protesters, eight men and two women, were arrested today outside the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Colombo.
The group had been demonstrating since morning, demanding the arrest of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella for his alleged involvement in a recent drug procurement scandal.
Police spokesperson DIG Nihal Talduwa confirmed the arrests and stated that despite repeated warnings and attempts to disperse the gathering peacefully, the protesters continued their sit-in protest, prompting police intervention.
Meanwhile, Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella issued a statement this afternoon acknowledging the summons from the CID but claiming his inability to present himself due to conflicting commitments.
He cited a scheduled appearance at the Colombo High Court in another case and his participation in a meeting of the Ministerial Sub-committee on Public Expenditure Management, chaired by the President, as reasons for his absence.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 12, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 27, 2023
- Event Description
Police have fired tear gas and water cannons in attempts to disperse protesting medical students in Colombo.
Accordingly, tear gas and water cannons were fired near the Nelum Pokuna in Colombo by the police in an attempt to disperse a protest launched by the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee.
It was reported earlier that the Green Path was closed for traffic from Nelum Pokuna to the Public Library in Colombo.
The Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee took to the roads this afternoon (27 Oct.) from the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, accusing the government of attempting to destroy free education in the country by conspiring with private institutions, namely Lyceum Campus, NSBM Green University, Gateway Graduate School and the Kotelawala Defence University.
They also accused the government of being involved in a conspiracy to further destroy Sri Lanka’s free healthcare system by imposing allowance cuts, and urged that the issues faced by the medical faculty of the Universities of Moratuwa, Wayamba and Sabaragamuwa be resolved immediately.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 2, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 18, 2023
- Event Description
The police fired tear gas to disperse a group of university students protesting along the Kandy-Peradeniya road this evening (Oct. 18).
The demonstration was organized by the students’ union of Peradeniya University against the private higher education institutes, the Online Safety Bill, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the Anti-Terrorism Bill and the delaying of Mahapola scholarship payments.
The protesting university students also demanded the authorities to increase the Mahapola scholarship payments.
The protest march commenced at around 2:00 p.m. today.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 2, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 8, 2023
- Event Description
A peaceful protest by Tamil livestock farmers ahead of president Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Batticaloa and against the ongoing land grabs by Sinhalese settlers in Batticaloa was met with brutal force by Sri Lankan police opposite of Chenkalady Central College, Batticaloa on Sunday.
The demonstration on Sunday was in solidarity with the cattle farmers and their family members who had, for 24 consecutive days, been rallying against the government failures to resolve the land grabs by Sinhala settlers in Madhavanai and Mayilathamadu in Batticaloa district. The protesters were joined by TNA and TNPF members, including TNA MP, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, and TNPF spokesperson, Kanagaratnam Sugash, who expressed their support for the farmers of Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai whose lands are being grabbed and cattles are being killed by illegal Sinhalese settlers.
The protesters demanded that the illegal encroachers should be removed from the pastureland in Madhavanai and Mayilathamadu, Batticaloa and protested against the Sri Lankan President’ persistent failure to resolve the matter. They were shouting slogans, such as "Mayilathamadu is Tamils' property", and holding placards which read "Do not occupy Tamil people's lands" and "Do not destroy the economy of Tamils".
The police forcefully objected to the peaceful protest as the president was attending an event close to the protest site. Protesters, including women, were severely beaten by police officers. According to Shanakiyan, the police claimed that they obtained a court order permitting them to stop the protest. The TNA MP further criticised the police force's use of "double standards" in cracking down on the Tamil people's peaceful protest, whilst failing to resist Sinhalese monk, Ambitiya Sumanarathana, who along with Sinhalese settlers in Batticaloa, led a protest on Saturday, opposing Shanakiyan and other Tamil MP's protest against the illegal encroachment of Tamil farmers' land in Parliament on Friday.
Livestock farmers in Batticaloa have been protesting against the encroachment of their lands and the killing of their cattles by Sinhala settlers since at least 2021. In August 2023, a new Buddhist temple was in the process of being built on land traditionally used by Tamil farmers in the border village of Madhavanai and Mayilathamadu. Tamil farmers continue to be subjected to intimidation and threats by the illegal setllers and government officials for seeking to protect their lands.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 2, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 8, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan security officials halted a bus that was carrying Tamil members of the families of the disappeared from Amparai and interrogated them, before eventually preventing them from attending a protest in solidarity with farmers in Batticaloa on Sunday.
The family members were on their way to join protest in Mayilathamadu, with livestock farmers protesting the encroachment of their grazing land by the Mahaweli Authority for new settlements.
However, they were halted at the Kallady bridge and subjected to questioning from 9 a.m. until noon, preventing them from joining the demonstration.
The incident occurred as Sri Lankan police came under criticism for their harsh response to the ongoing farmers' protest, including violent attacks on the protestors. Simultaneously, there has been a double standard in the treatment of counter-protests, such as one led by Sinhala Buddhist monk Ampitiya Sumanarathna, a monk known for making violent and racist remarks.
A spokesperson for the Amparai chapter of the families of the disappeared told reporters that the double standard employed by state authorities, once again, only goes to highlight the legitimacy of their call upon the international community to intervene to provide justice.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 3, 2023
- Event Description
Lawyers from the Mullaitivu Bar Association are continuing their strike for the second consecutive day, demanding justice for Judge T. Saravanarajah, who resigned from all his positions due to death threats linked to his verdicts in the Kurunthurmalai archaeology case.
The Mullaitivu Bar Association has announced that the strike will continue until they receive assurance that judicial officers can safely and independently perform their legal duties. The lawyers marched from the Mullaitivu courts complex to the Mullaitivu main junction and back to the courts complex, maintaining a peaceful protest.
Intelligence officers and Police were seen openly photographing and recording the protestors in an attempt to continue intimidating the legal professionals.
This indefinite strike began on October 2nd and has seen lawyers from Mannar, Kilinochchi, and Mannar joining in support. Lawyers from across the North-East will also participate in the protest by wearing black face masks while carrying out their duties for the next two weeks.
In Mannar, civil society activists gathered at the Mannar bus stand, expressing their lack of trust in the numerous investigation committees formed by the government for various issues in addition to being in solidarity with the ongoing protests throughout the North-East. The strike is emblematic of growing concerns over the independence and safety of judicial officers in Sri Lanka.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Lawyer, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Government, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 7, 2023
- Event Description
The Santhiveli police today obtained an injunction order against dairy farmers in Batticaloa who have been protesting for the last 24 days against the alleged encroachment of land they use for grazing their cattle.
The farmers claim that crop farmers from other districts have occupied the land they traditionally used for grazing. The Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu area falls under the Mahaweli Development Authority.
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) MPs took up the cause of the dairy farmers by demonstrating inside parliament yesterday. The Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu area is reportely used for grazingapproximately 500,000 livestock including cattle and buffalo.
The issue is likely to be exacerbated in the coming months, TNA Batticaloa District Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam warned. According to Rasamanickam encroachers have mostly grown corn which has just seeded and will grow throughout October and November.
It is harvested in December and January. According to the Department of Animal Production and Health, cattle in the Eastern Province are primarily free-ranging and cause damage to crops which is why during paddy cultivation season, which is now approaching,they are actively moved away to pasturelands. In Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu the cattle herds’ interaction with the corn crop is likely to increase in the coming months and could thus escalate the conflict between the crop and dairy farmers if it remains unresolved.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 3, 2023
- Event Description
Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa today questioned the summoning of Neth FM journalists before the Parliament Privileges Committee over allegations raised by Minister of Transport, Highways, and Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena.
A complaint has been filed by the Minister, accusing that his Parliamentary privileges have been violated due to an alleged false news report that had been published by Neth Fm and several other local media.
Accordingly, Neth FM journalists have been summoned before the Parliament Privileges Committee today for an inquiry into the matter.
Condemning the move, MP Premadasa told Parliament that it was a breach of media freedom.
He further called on the Prime Minister to intervene and prevent such action being taken against journalists.
Commenting on Minister Bandula Gunawardena’s complaint, Neth FM has responded stating that the views shared during the broadcast was that of a trade union leader and are not that of the media institution or its journalists.
- Impact of Event
- 4
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Sep 6, 2023
- Event Description
Police have fired tear gas in attempts to disperse a protest staged by the Students’ Union of the Peradeniya University.
Accordingly, tear gas was used against the students who were staging a protest march in the Peradeniya area, along the Colombo-Kandy main road.
The protest was held over several key demands, including the riddance of alleged government conspiracies to ‘abolish the University Grants Commission (UGC)’ and ‘sell medical degrees’, which would destroy the country’s free education system, they claimed.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Sep 28, 2023
- Event Description
Tamil activist Balraj Rajkumar was subjected to prolonged questioning by the Counter-Terrorism and Investigation Department (CTID) in the Eastern Province. The activist was summoned to appear at the Trincomalee Regional Office on Thursday at 9 am, with no specific reason provided.
Upon arriving at the CTID office, Rajkumar was confronted with accusations of attempting to rebuild a banned organisation. In a Facebook post following the interrogation, he revealed that the primary charges against him included advocating for and supporting a prohibited group. Additionally, he was accused of orchestrating protests against the government and allegedly inciting gatherings against state authorities.
Rajkumar denied all allegations during his statement to the CTID and said he challenged the authorities to provide evidence supporting any of the claims made against him.
"The investigation took a long time. The main charge was that I continued to speak in support of a banned organisation and sought to revive it. They also accused me of constantly speaking against the government and inciting people to gather and protest against the government," Rajkumar stated.
He went on to mention that the accusations were attributed to the state's main security department. Rajkumar, known for his vocal opposition to the forcible acquisition of Tamil people's lands in the Eastern Province, has been an active advocate for the rights of the Tamil people.
"I denied their multiple allegations and I asked them to prove any of these allegations. They said they would send a submission to the Defence Ministry and inform them about it," Rajkumar revealed.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 1, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 16, 2023
- Event Description
On 16 December 2023, human rights defender Jeewaratnam Suresh received a threatening phone call from an unidentified number warning him to stop his advocacy or face dire consequences. The threats are linked to a fundamental rights petition filed by the human rights defender in March 2023 seeking improvements in housing rights for the persecuted Malayaga Tamil community. In December 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka found in favor of the petition, mandating Sri Lankan authorities to provide house numbers/addresses to persons living in plantations. As a result of the human rights defender’s engaging in follow up advocacy to ensure effective implementation of the court’s decision, he has received threats, warning him to cease his work on this issue. Jeewaratnam Suresh, is a human rights defender based in the Muvankandha plantation, in Mavaththagama, Kurunegala, (North Western Province) Sri Lanka. Jeewaratnam Suresh is a strong advocate for the rights of the Malayaga Tamil community, also referred to as ‘upcountry Tamils’, a historically persecuted minority community in Sri Lanka. The human rights defender has campaigned for equal rights for Malayaga Tamils, including land and housing rights. Jeewaratnam Suresh has mobilized community campaigns demanding rights and an end to systemic discrimination against the Malayaga community. He has also worked with the human rights organizations, including Jana Avabodha Kendraya and the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA). In March 2023 Jeewaratnam Suresh filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka seeking relief related to housing rights for the Malayaga community, especially those living in plantations. The petition calls on the defendants, which includes the Minister of Public Administration, to provide permanent postal addresses to Malayaga Tamils residing in Sri Lanka, something which they have so far been denied by the state. On 4 December 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruled in favor of the Petition and mandated the relevant state authority to provide postal addresses to all residents in the plantation areas. Encouraged by this decision, Jeewaratnam Suresh and fellow human rights defenders from the Malayaga community are currently engaged in strategic advocacy to ensure effective implementation of the Court’s decision. On 16 December 2023, at 11:26 am, Jeewaratnam Suresh received a call from an unidentified number on his mobile phone. The caller warned Jeewaratnam Suresh to stop further advocacy or attempts to implement the Supreme Court judgment and threatened him that there would be consequences if he failed to comply. Concerned for his safety, the human rights defender posted the incident on Facebook and made it public. Jeewaratnam Suresh has been threatened in the past due to his engagement in human rights advocacy on the rights of the Malayaga community. In November 2023, Jeewaratnam Suresh organized a peaceful protest in the Mavathagama Ptiyakanda rubber estate, Kurunegala, advocating for land and adequate housing rights. Hundreds of protesters, including human rights defenders and journalists, were present during this protest. After the protest, a person claiming to be an intelligence officer called a family member of Jeewaratnam Suresh and inquired about his activities and whereabouts. In July 2023, Suresh played a key role in the Maanbumigu Malaiyaha Makkal – a symbolic walk that retraced the challenging journey endured by the first group of Malayaga Tamils who were brought from India to Sri Lanka under British Colonial rule, to work on plantations in the hill stations of Sri Lanka. During the walk, the human rights defender received several phone calls from intelligence officers seeking information as to his plans, whereabouts and also on the progress of the walk. Front Line Defenders recognizes the immense contribution of human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, especially those from oppressed minority communities, particularly in realizing adequate housing rights. Front Line Defenders is concerned by the threats against, and intimidation of, Jeewaratnam Suresh in connection with his advocacy and successful legal challenge to advance his community’s rights. We believe these threats are an attempt to silence the human rights defender and keep him from pursuing his important work.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 30, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 28, 2023
- Event Description
On 28th August, Fort magistrate court issued an order preventing protesters from entering several areas in Colombo, in relation to a protest organised by a collective of trade union and civil society organisations. The order was issued against Duminda Nagamuwa, Mujibar Rahuman, Hirunika Premachandra, Joseph Stalin and 24 others banning them from entering the President’s Office, President’s House, Finance Ministry premises, the Central Bank, Police Headquarters, Olcott Mawatha between Fort Railway Station and CTO Junction, Lotus Road from CTO Junction to NSA Roundabout, York Street, Bank Road, Chatham Street and Galle Face Green area and not to block the roads, thereby causing inconvenience to the public and motorists from 9am to 6pm on the day.
On 28th August, Police stopped the protest march organised by a collective of trade unions, and civil society organisations, against the utilisation of superannuation funds in the domestic debt restructuring process. As protesters started their march after having a short demonstration in front of Fort railway station in Colombo, the Police announced and handed over a court order saying that the protest march cannot be allowed. Police and military personnel were heavily deployed in the area. The protesters complied with the order, and stopped the march.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 7, 2023
- Event Description
On 7th August, Civil society activist, and Hindu Priest Velan Swamigal and members of the Association for Relatives of the enforced Disappeared, parliamentarian M K Sivajilingam were arrested and produced in the Kilinochchi magistrate court by the Police, on charges of participating in an illegal assembly, in relation to a protest march they organised, demanding rights for Tamil people, and calling the independence day “a black day for Tamils” during a protest held on 4th February 2023. They were granted bail on the same day.
- Impact of Event
- 22
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Minority Rights, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 30, 2023
- Event Description
Posters have been pasted in Batticaloa Town against Amalanayagi, the coordinator of the Association of Relatives of the Enforced Disappeared- Batticaloa District, who led the protest remembering the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on 30th August, in Batticaloa town. These posters pasted by unidentified persons said “come and join the rally to get dollars”, trivialising her activism as something done to gain financial benefits from the foreign countries, feeding to Sinhala nationalist discourse also supported by the state.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Vilification
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to protect reputation
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 15, 2023
- Event Description
Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), on Tuesday (22) said that organised groups had assaulted two farmer leaders at Mayurapura, Walawe.
MONLAR has condemned inaction of officials regarding the brutal attacks on the leaders of the farming communities.
MONLAR has said: “The farming communities of the entire Mayurapura area have been adversely affected by water shortages following the delay in releasing water for farming in the yala season. There are 5,300 farmer families in Mayurapura which is a part of the Mahaweli Zone. The leaders of 86 farmer organisations in the area have been at the forefront in making interventions necessary for the farmers who face chronic water shortages, the brunt of the human-elephant conflict and many economic issues. The task of negotiating and pressurising the government to release water and overcoming many obstacles in providing water to the farmlands have become a Herculean task. Life is much easier for those who maintain large unauthorised farms who have tapped into the water supply illegally. These individuals use money, political connections and violence as tools to achieve their objectives. Leaders of the farming communities that oppose these powerful individuals have now become targets of violence.
“During the last month, two leaders of the farming communities in Mayurapura area have been brutally assaulted. One such person is still undergoing treatment at the hospital.
“The first such incident was reported on 27 July 2023 when K.A. Ajith Kumara, 47-years, was assaulted near the Bopele Tank at around 6 pm.
“About two weeks later, on 15 August 2023, G. Karunathilaka, 54-years, was assaulted near the 29 Tank at UD-60 area at around 7 pm. Karunathilaka was brutally assaulted and had sustained serious injuries to his arms and legs.
“Complaints have been lodged with the Harbour Police on 27 June and 17 August about the attacks. However, nothing has been done and the assailants remain free to terrorize others.
“We express our strongest displeasure at the Police for not taking action against the perpetrators of these attacks. We also believe that a powerful force is influencing the police.
“It has almost been 10-days since water was released to the Udawalawe Tank from the Samanalawewa Tank. However, this water has not yet been adequately released to farmlands. This is leading to conflicts and tensions among the farmers and those who maintain large scale unauthorised plantations. The Mahaweli Authority, Department of Irrigation and Ministry of Agriculture must immediately step in to prevent potential clashes between farmers and those who maintain large scale unauthorized plantations.
One of the best ways to ease tensions is to arrest those who have assaulted farmer leaders. If these organised groups are allowed to continue, the lives of farmer leaders are in danger. If the violence claims the life of a farmer leader, the police must take responsibility.”
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Violence (physical), Wounds and Injuries
- Rights Concerned
- Land rights, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Land rights defender
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: farmer leader assaulted
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 27, 2023
- Event Description
Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), on Tuesday (22) said that organised groups had assaulted two farmer leaders at Mayurapura, Walawe.
MONLAR has condemned inaction of officials regarding the brutal attacks on the leaders of the farming communities.
MONLAR has said: “The farming communities of the entire Mayurapura area have been adversely affected by water shortages following the delay in releasing water for farming in the yala season. There are 5,300 farmer families in Mayurapura which is a part of the Mahaweli Zone. The leaders of 86 farmer organisations in the area have been at the forefront in making interventions necessary for the farmers who face chronic water shortages, the brunt of the human-elephant conflict and many economic issues. The task of negotiating and pressurising the government to release water and overcoming many obstacles in providing water to the farmlands have become a Herculean task. Life is much easier for those who maintain large unauthorised farms who have tapped into the water supply illegally. These individuals use money, political connections and violence as tools to achieve their objectives. Leaders of the farming communities that oppose these powerful individuals have now become targets of violence.
“During the last month, two leaders of the farming communities in Mayurapura area have been brutally assaulted. One such person is still undergoing treatment at the hospital.
“The first such incident was reported on 27 July 2023 when K.A. Ajith Kumara, 47-years, was assaulted near the Bopele Tank at around 6 pm.
“About two weeks later, on 15 August 2023, G. Karunathilaka, 54-years, was assaulted near the 29 Tank at UD-60 area at around 7 pm. Karunathilaka was brutally assaulted and had sustained serious injuries to his arms and legs.
“Complaints have been lodged with the Harbour Police on 27 June and 17 August about the attacks. However, nothing has been done and the assailants remain free to terrorize others.
“We express our strongest displeasure at the Police for not taking action against the perpetrators of these attacks. We also believe that a powerful force is influencing the police.
“It has almost been 10-days since water was released to the Udawalawe Tank from the Samanalawewa Tank. However, this water has not yet been adequately released to farmlands. This is leading to conflicts and tensions among the farmers and those who maintain large scale unauthorised plantations. The Mahaweli Authority, Department of Irrigation and Ministry of Agriculture must immediately step in to prevent potential clashes between farmers and those who maintain large scale unauthorized plantations.
One of the best ways to ease tensions is to arrest those who have assaulted farmer leaders. If these organised groups are allowed to continue, the lives of farmer leaders are in danger. If the violence claims the life of a farmer leader, the police must take responsibility.”
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Land rights, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Land rights defender
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jun 7, 2023
- Event Description
Al Jazeera journalist Minelle Fernandez was hit by a water cannon while reporting on a students’ march in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo yesterday.
The Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) staged a protest yesterday to demand the release of activists detained during last year’s anti-government protests.
The Police fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters at Wijerama Junction in Nugegoda, during which Al Jazeera journalist Minelle Fernandez was caught in the crossfire.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 10, 2023
- Event Description
Twenty university students who were arrested during the protest march organized by the Inter University Students' Federation on Thursday (10) were released on bail.
The group was released based on a court order issued by the Hultsdorf Magistrate's Court No. 1, when they were produced in court on Thursday (10). They were released on a personal bail of Rs. 25,000 each.
Court also ordered the group to be produced in court once again on the 14th of August.
Sri Lanka Police used water cannons to disperse the group at two separate location during the protest march on Thursday (10) evening.
Sri Lanka Police deployed water cannons to disperse a protest in Colombo organized by the Inter-University Students' Federation.
The Inter University Students' Federation, a student movement in Sri Lanka had organized a protest in Colombo on Thursday (10) citing multiple demands, including to terminate the Ranil – Wijeyadasa report that eliminates Free Education, to abolish the inhumane labour laws, and to prevent any attempt on the ETF and EPF funds of the people.
The Maligakanda Magistrate's Court issued an order preventing the protest from taking place after considering the submissions made by the OIC of the Maradana Police who claimed the protest would cause a public disturbance.
One Inter-University Students' Federation group protested opposite the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo, and another group marched in protest from the Kirulapone Junction.
Water cannons were fired on the protest march twice by Sri Lanka Police.
Thereafter, water cannons were used to disperse the Inter-University Students' Federation protest opposite the Vihara Maha Devi Park.
Water cannons were used on them thrice.
Thereafter, Sri Lanka Police and Anti-Riot Squad chased after the protestors in order to make arrests.
Sri Lanka Army personnel were also summoned to crackdown on the protest, and several protestors were arrested when they entered the Public Library premises in Colombo.
The Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage has issued a restriction order against 10 members of InterUniversity Student Federation (IUSF), including its convener Madushan Chandrajith, in relation to a protest they organised on 10th August. The court order prevented the protesters from entering several areas in Colombo, including the Presidential Secretariat, President’s House, the Prime Minister’s Office, Central Bank, and the Galle Face Green public park where last year’s people’s protest occurred, from 09.00 am to 06.00 pm on 10th of August. The Maligakanda Magistrate issued a second court order preventing the same protest march. The court order was issued against the IUSF convener and 08 other members of the federation from entering or marching in protest along Deans Road, Kularatna Mawatha, T.B. Jayah Mawatha and Technical Junction and other nearby areas in Colombo. Both court orders said peaceful demonstrations can be carried out without inconveniencing the members of the public and public officers.
On 10th of August, Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the IUSF protesters at two places in Colombo, in Kirulapone and near ViharaMahadevi park and arrested 22 protesters. The IUSF protested on several key demands, including raising objections to recent government approval for granting medical degrees under three private universities, proposed labour law amendments, and use of superannuation funds in the domestic debt restructuring process.62 63 Protesters arrested near the Viharamahadevi park, were granted bail on the same day.
Maligakanda Magistrate issued an order banning 11 individuals, including MP Sarath Fonseka, Ven. Pagoda Vijithavansa Thero and Journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedra and other protesters from entering and protesting in the Deans road, Maradana Road, T. B. Jaya Mawatha, Technical Junction and other areas in Maradana, while a protest has been planned to be held on 11th of August. A demonstration was held in front of the Colombo Municipal Council (town hall) area under the theme “unarmed non-partisan Aragalaya– People’s Revolution” with the participation of MP Sarath Fonseka, some Buddhist monks, and disabled military soldiers showing their resistance towards the current and former governments. While security was tightened in the area deploying many military and police personnel, the protesters were not attacked.
- Impact of Event
- 20
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Administrative Harassment, Judicial Harassment, Restrictions on Movement, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 23, 2023
- Event Description
The former convenor of the Inter-University Student's Federation Wasantha Mudalige and another were arrested in Borella on Thursday (27) evening by Sri Lanka Police.
Wasantha Mudalige was arrested by the Cinnamon Gardens Police and was detained at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station.
He was arrested as per a warrant issued for his arrest for failing to appear in court for a case filed over being a member of an unlawful assembly opposite the University Grants Commission on the 27th of February 2020, and for causing inconveniences.
The other person who was arrested was India Vidana Pathirana, a member of the IUSF.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 31, 2023
- Event Description
Thambirasa Selvarani who leads a group of relatives of missing persons in Ampara was summoned to appear before courts today (31).
She was to present herself before Pottuvil magistrate’s court at 9.00 am, said Journalists for Democracy – Sri Lanka.
This is in connection with a protest she led yesterday in Thirukkovil demanding justice for the victims of enforced disappearances.
While calling for an international investigation, the protestors also rejected a Rs. 200,000 compensation offered by the government.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 5, 2023
- Event Description
Randimal Gamage, a frontline activist of the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning (05 Jan.).
Gamage was arrested at the BIA, Katunayake, upon his arrival from the United Arab Emirates over the incident where a group of anti-government protesters illegally entered the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) in July last year, Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said.
On 13 July 2022, anti-government protesters stormed into the state-owned media institution, forcing them to suspend transmission for a short period of time.
Meanwhile, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has too, arrived in the island this morning, after holidaying in Dubai, UAE.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jun 13, 2023
- Event Description
Social activist Prasad Welikumbura was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department today regarding a Twitter video he published in February.
According to journalist Tharindu Jayawardena, the video showcases a group of citizens expressing their dissatisfaction with a military motorcade.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 3, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 25, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities have detained nine ethnic Tamils under the country's abusive counterterrorism law for commemorating those who died in the 1983-2009 civil war, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly assured international allies, trading partners, and the United Nations that it would replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has long been used to arbitrarily detain and torture minority community members and civil society activists. The government should immediately release all those arbitrarily detained under the PTA and place a moratorium on its use until it can be repealed.
“The Sri Lankan authorities’ use of a counterterrorism law against Tamils commemorating those who died in the civil war is cruelly abusive and further marginalizes a community that already faces persistent government discrimination,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “President Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks of ‘reconciliation,’ but his government’s actions only serve to deepen ethnic divisions.”
The authorities arrested those newly detained under the PTA between November 25 and 27 in Batticaloa, in the Eastern Province, and confiscated decorations and loudspeakers from a commemoration vigil. Since the civil war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended in 2009 with the separatist armed group’s complete defeat, successive administrations have prevented Tamils from publicly memorializing the war dead.
On December 2, police in Mullaitivu district, in the Northern Province, reportedly shut down an event at a Hindu temple to commemorate the Sri Lankan army’s 1984 massacre of Tamil villagers in Othiyamalai. Preventing ethnic and religious minorities from conducting ceremonies to commemorate the dead violates the rights to freedom of religion, belief, expression, and association, Human Rights Watch said.
Soon after taking office in July 2022, President Wickremesinghe ended a short-lived moratorium on the use of the PTA. A previous administration, in which Wickremesinghe was prime minister, had pledged in 2017 to repeal the law when it rejoined a European Union trading program called the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+). The GSP+ grants tariff-free access for Sri Lankan exports conditioned on compliance with international human rights conventions. Sri Lankan authorities have repeatedly renewed the pledge but never carried it out.
Many of Sri Lanka’s international partners, including the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom, as well as the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticized the recent PTA detentions.
The administration has also used the PTA to restrict criticism of government management of the economy and other policies. In August 2022, three student activists were detained under the law for protesting the government’s handling of the economic crisis. Other activists say that they fear being arrested under the PTA for speaking out and that the government is constraining civil society organizations’ access to funding, particularly donations from abroad, under the guise of “countering terrorist financing.”
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is providing Sri Lanka with a US$3 billion loan, reported in September that civil society’s “oversight and monitoring” of government actions is “restricted … by broad application of counter-terrorism rules.”
In a November report on Sri Lanka’s compliance with its human rights obligations under the GSP+ trading arrangement, the EU found that “the treatment of minorities remains a concern in particular as efforts towards reconciliation are slow, and the 1979 Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) continues to be applied including after the protest movements in 2022, causing fear among the population and suffocating dissent. Substantial reform or repeal of the PTA in line with human rights standards remains a priority, just as Sri Lanka’s need to re-commit to reconciliation and accountability.” Despite Sri Lanka’s failure to comply with its six- year-old pledge to reform the PTA, the EU continues to extend GSP+ benefits to the country.
On September 15, the government published the latest version of its proposed replacement counterterrorism legislation. It then withdrew the bill for further revisions after widespread domestic and international criticism that it reproduced many of the abusive provisions of the current law while creating new speech-related offenses that could be used to suppress dissent.
The government recently proposed another law, the Online Safety Bill, that could also be used to restrict freedom of expression by creating a commission, appointed by the president, which would decide whether online statements are false or prohibited. The commission could order the removal of online statements and participate in police investigations and prosecutions of those accused of posting them.
“The Sri Lankan government’s latest misuse of the PTA should be a strong reminder to the EU that its GSP+ requirements are being ignored,” Ganguly said. “The European Union and EU governments need to make their displeasure with this turn of events known.”
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 2, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Dec 2, 2023
- Event Description
Oddusuddan police disrupted an event to remember the 32 Tamils that were massacred in Othiyamalai, Mullaitivu by the Sri Lankan army in 1984.
As Tamils gathered by a memorial for the victims to mark 39 years since the massacre, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of Oddusuddan police station, interrupted the event claiming that the organisers did not have a permit to use a loudspeaker. OIC Ranjith Bamunusinghe demanded that the event is halted and to show that they had a permit for the loudspeaker.
The organisers argued that this event has been held annually for the last 14 years without any problems, however, today this police officer was creating a disturbance.
Bamunusinghe gave the organisers ten minutes to conclude the event, forcing the remembrance event to end earlier than planned.
On December 2, 1984, men in the village were rounded up by Sri Lankan soldiers, dragged to the village community centre where they were stripped naked and tied up by their clothes.
Twenty-seven of the men were shot and killed on the spot. A further five were detained and are believed to have been murdered at a later date.
Flowers and candles were laid at a memorial dedicated to the victims despite the heavy presence of Sri Lankan intelligence officers who took photographs of the participants.
A monument built in memory of the victims of Othiyamalai is reported to have been destroyed in the final stages of the armed conflict. A new memorial was unveiled in 2018.
Since the end of the armed conflict in May 2009, the Sri Lankan state has attempted to repress Tamil memorialisation activities in the North-East, through court orders or by intimidating and harassing Tamil people participating in remembrance events.
The state has escalated their crackdown on remembrance events in recent weeks as the Tamil nation marked Maaveerar Naal. This week, as many as 11 Tamils, have now been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), after Maaveerar Naal commemorations.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jan 2, 2024
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 24, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lanka's Education Ministry has expressed regret over the attack on the protest launched by school teachers and principals in Pelawatte, Battaramulla, on Tuesday.
The Education Ministry said that such an incident taking place at a time when teachers, and principals were seeking solutions to their issues, was regrettable.
A statement added that the incident took place when the Education Minister was overseas for a conference, and it added that the Minister had expressed his apology to the teachers and principals who were severely inconvenienced by it.
On Tuesday afternoon, school teachers, principals, and advisors engaged in a protest march, citing several demands.
Sri Lanka police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Public Servant
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 24, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 28, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities must immediately drop any investigation into freelance Tamil journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar in retaliation for their reporting and allow them to work without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
On October 28, a police officer separately interrogated Sasikaran and Krishnakumar at their homes in eastern Batticaloa district following their reporting on an October 8 protest, according to the advocacy group Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka and the journalists, who spoke with CPJ.
The protest, which coincided with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Batticaloa, included hundreds of farmers and activists demonstrating against alleged state-backed land grabbing by Sinhalese settlers. Sasikaran covered the events for the privately owned U.K.-based broadcaster IBC Tamil and digital news outlet BATTIMIRROR, while Krishnakumar reported for the privately owned websites Maddu News and Samugam Media.
The officer questioned Sasikaran and Krishnakumar about their personal and journalistic backgrounds and activities, and what occurred at the protest for around two and a half hours and one hour and 15 minutes, respectively, the journalists told CPJ.
The officer ordered them to sign written statements of their testimony and notified them that they had been named in a police criminal investigation in relation to the protest along with several farmers, politicians, and activists, and were due to appear for a hearing at the Eravur Magistrate Court on November 17. Neither Sasikaran nor Krishnakumar had received a written summons or a copy of a police report detailing the precise allegations against them as of November 8, they said.
“Sri Lankan authorities must immediately cease all forms of reprisal against journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar and ensure they may report freely,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “The government must put an end to the long-standing pattern of relentless harassment targeting Tamil journalists covering human rights violations impacting their community.”
Following Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war that ended in 2009, ethnic tensions persist between the Sinhalese people, the country’s majority ethnic group, and Tamils, who have experienced systematic discrimination in the country.
On November 4, Sasikaran and Krishnakumar received a court order, reviewed by CPJ, directing them to hand over their unedited video footage of a Buddhist monk threatening to “cut Tamils into pieces,” and to provide a statement to police in relation to a separate investigation into the monk.
On November 7, Sasikaran and Krishnakumar appeared at the Batticaloa Divisional Crime Detective Bureau and provided the footage to police, who questioned them for one hour each about their coverage and which media outlets they shared their videos with, they told CPJ.
Sasikaran and Krishnakumar told CPJ that they believed the latest incident was another form of harassment intended to muzzle their reporting on farmers and marginalized communities.
CPJ’s messages to Ajith Rohana, deputy inspector-general of the Batticaloa police, did not receive a response.
Police have repeatedly interrogated Sasikaran and Krishnakumar in retaliation for their work. On August 22, a mob of around 50 Sinhalese men held Krishnakumar and two other journalists captive while they were reporting on alleged state-backed land encroachments in Batticaloa. No suspects had been accountable for this incident as of November 8, Krishnakumar said.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 19, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Oct 2, 2023
- Event Description
The Fort Magistrate's Court issued an order on several activists, including Duminda Nagamuwa, and Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero preventing them from entering certain locations in Colombo.
The order was issued following submissions made to court by the OIC of the Fort Police.
The order by the Fort Magistrate's Court prevents eight people, including the Covenor of the Inter-University Student's Federation Madushan Indrajith, Inter-University Bhikku Federation Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, Organizer of the Labour Struggle Center Duminda Nagamuwa, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union, and those accompanying them, from entering certain areas in Colombo from 11 AM to 6 PM.
The prohibited areas are the President's Office, Ceramic Junction to the NSA Roundabout, and the NSA Roundabout to Baladaksha Mawatha.
The court order notes that the said individuals are prohibited from entering the said areas, should not cause damage to public and private property, and should also not engage in acts that incite the people.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Restrictions on Movement
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Labour rights defender, Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Oct 5, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 22, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities must investigate the recent harassment of freelance Tamil journalists Selvakumar Nilanthan, Valasingham Krishnakumar, and Antony Christopher Christiraj and hold the perpetrators responsible, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
Around 12:30 p.m. on August 22, approximately 50 Sinhalese men led by a Buddhist monk surrounded vehicles holding the three journalists after they reported on alleged state-backed encroachments on Tamil cattle farmers’ land in the Mylathamadu area of the eastern district of Batticaloa, according to news reports, the rights group Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, and the three journalists, who spoke to CPJ.
The men—some armed with knives and swords—moved the three journalists and around 17 others, including farmers and members of an accompanying interfaith group, to an open area and held them in the presence of officers from a local government development authority.
Although the interfaith group leaders immediately called the police, officers only arrived five hours later, after Tamil lawmakers raised the issue on the parliament floor.
As of August 30, police have not opened an investigation into the incident, the three journalists told CPJ. CPJ’s messages to the officer-in-charge of the Karadiyanaru Police Station, which oversees Mylathamadu, and Sri Lankan police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa did not receive any replies.
“Sri Lankan authorities must thoroughly and impartially investigate the recent harassment of Selvakumar Nilanthan, Valasingham Krishnakumar, and Antony Christopher Christiraj by a mob in Batticaloa, and work to end the pattern of impunity relating to attacks on Tamil reporters,” said Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director. “Tamil journalists have a right to report on issues affecting their community without interference or fear of reprisal.”
Ethnic tensions persist between the Sinhalese people, the country’s majority ethnic group, and Tamils following the country’s 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.
Nilanthan, secretary of the Batticaloa District Tamil Journalists Association, was wearing a press jacket and reporting for the privately owned U.K.-based broadcaster IBC Tamil. While he was held, several of the men forced him to delete photos and videos of farmers’ testimonies and the mob setting fire to the land.
He said they also forced him to sign two letters in Sinhala and Tamil stating that he would not report on the incident.
Christiraj, a freelance reporter, and Krishnakumar, a freelancer and the head of the Batticaloa District Tamil Journalists Association, were not wearing press jackets, hid their cameras, and did not inform the mob that they were reporters, they told CPJ.
When Christiraj and Krishnakumar later told police at the scene that they were members of the press, the Buddhist monk asked a police official to order all three journalists to delete their photos and videos, the reporters told CPJ, adding that the official did not comply with the request.
Members of the mob also pressured Krishnakumar to delete photos and videos after learning he was a journalist, which he refused to do, he said.
Although the mob assaulted a Hindu priest, the three journalists were not physically harmed, they told CPJ, adding that they felt traumatized and feared for their safety if they continued to report on the farmers’ plight.
In November 2020, police questioned Nilanthan at his home after reporting on Tamil farmers’ concerns following the growth of military-backed Sinhalese settlements in the district, including Mylathamadu.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Abduction/Kidnapping, Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist, Media Worker
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Non-state
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: media workers faces continuous harassment
- Date added
- Sep 13, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jun 26, 2023
- Event Description
Civil Activist Piyath Nikeshala has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today.
It is reported that Piyath Nikeshala was arrested in connection to the incident of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s house being set on fire during the 2022 Sri Lanka protests.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: pro-democracy defender beaten, arrested
- Date added
- Aug 29, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Apr 9, 2023
- Event Description
In a letter to the IGP, the Sri Lanka Muslim Council complained about police brutality against a group of interfaith people who gathered at the Galle Face to participate in an Iftar ceremony.
This event was planned with the full approval of the Colpity police, and while the ceremony was taking shape, the police intervened and brutally chased the invitees.
The Muslim Council has requested that the IGP intervene in this matter.
The organisers that included a multi faith group wanted to bring an interfaith break fast group during our holy month of Ramadan in prayer and solidarity with people who were killed on the fateful Easter Sunday of 21/4/2019. They had invited people of all faiths to join in solidarity and experience the Muslim break fast at dusk. Over 1200 people of all faiths had gathered at Galle Face, near the Galle Face hotel.
The organisers sought the permission of the Colpetty Police in writing and the gentleman officer in-0charge had verbally given them permission. He had also given his name and mobile no to call him if there was any need of additional security. Our organisers had told him that they do not expect any trouble as its a simple solidarity meeting of different faiths and share our breaking Ramadan fast.
At about 4.45, officers from the Fort police had descended on the area where food was being served to break fast to the invitees and wanted the organisers to abandon the event. Amidst protests from the organisers, the police had forced some of our invitees to recite our Kalima (Laaa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Muhammadur-Rasoolu-llaah – meaning There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
This was an interfaith gathering and people of other faiths would not have known our Kalima and even if they knew, the police have no moral justification to demand any one to recite professing of the Muslim faith and this should not be even demanded from a Muslim. This is police brutality and an insult to the interfaith gathering who had come in hundreds.
- Impact of Event
- 5
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of Religion and Belief, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Freedom of religion/belief activist, WHRD, Youth
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 29, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 31, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan police arrested three people and unleashed a violent attack on a March 31 demonstration marking the first anniversary of the anti-government protests that began outside the house of former President Gotabhaya Rajapakse in Mirihana and led to a mass movement that forced his resignation.
Security personnel, including 3,000 policemen, were deployed to the area, well before the event. Police attacked the protesters, attempted to grab their placards, and forced them towards the nearby town of Nugegoda.
Police physically attacked and tore the shirt of journalist Shantha Wijesuriya as he was photographing the police violence. Vindana Prasad Karunaratne, a Sirasa TV journalist was also threatened by police.
Anuruddha Bandara, Sudara Jayasinghe and Dhanish Ali, leading figures in last year’s Galle Face Green protests, were arrested but released later that night on condition that they take no legal action against the police.
After the police chased away the crowd, protesters congregated at Nugegoda junction, carrying placards and chanting slogans “Don’t postpone elections!” and “Hands off the rights of people!”
Notwithstanding the Socialist Equality Party’s principled opposition to the pro-capitalist policies of the protest organisers, we strongly condemn the violent government-ordered assault. The Wickremesinghe government is attempting to suppress all popular opposition to its International Monetary Fund-dictated austerity policies.
One year ago on March 31, President Rajapakse ordered a vicious police attack on a protest in the same area. The mass uprising demanding the resignation of Rajapakse and his government erupted and spread nationally in the aftermath of that attack.
Millions of workers called for an end to power cuts and for adequate supplies of food, medicines, petrol and other essentials and took part in two one-day general strikes on April 28 and May 6. Rajapakse ignominiously fled the country on July 13, and then resigned.
Confronted with this mass movement, the ruling elite handed over the task of defending the capitalist state to Ranil Wickremesinghe, a notorious pro-US stooge and International Monetary Fund (IMF) enforcer, making him president.
The Wickremesinghe government, in exchange for the recently announced $US2.9 billion bailout loan from the IMF, is now implementing a new round of social attacks. Even the IMF has described the agenda as a “brutal experiment.”
This is provoking a new round of struggles with workers in telecom, petroleum, education, post, bank, power, ports, water supply and other sectors taking action in recent weeks.
Haunted by last year’s mass anti-government uprising, the Wickremesinghe government, backed by the capitalist class, is attacking basic democratic rights, so as to preempt strikes and protests by workers, students and other social layers.
Violating the constitution, the Wickremesinghe government has postponed local government elections, while using the Essential Public Service Act and deploying the military against anti-privatisation protests and strikes by petroleum workers. Last month the government announced a new Anti-Terrorism Bill, which, if adopted, will ban and harshly punish anyone protesting against government policies.
In this situation, it is critical to draw the political lessons from last year’s popular uprising.
Leading figures in last year’s Galle Face Green protests, which politically diverted workers and youth into support for an interim bourgeois government, are at it again, this time to “pressure” the Wickremesinghe regime.
Those involved in last month’s one-year anniversary protest included, Eranga Gunasekera, national organiser of Socialist Youth Union, which is affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP); Lahiru Weerasekera, the national organiser of Youth for Change led by the pseudo-left Frontline Socialist Party (FSP); and Dhanish Ali and Anuruddha Bandara.
These formations have no fundamental differences with the IMF-dictated austerity measures. The JVP and its National People’s Power (NPP) front are attempting to win political power, claiming they can resurrect Sri Lankan capitalism more effectively than Wickremesinghe. The JVP and its FSP breakaway insist that their “solutions” can be achieved without challenging the parliamentary framework and the profit system.
Addressing the Nugegoda protest on March 31, following the police attack, FSP youth leader Lahiru Weerasekera cynically declared, “We are acting on earlier lessons learnt with [new] experiments” and called for more struggle. The FSP’s perspective is to pressure the government by building alliances with the trade unions and various opposition political parties to form “people’s councils” to win concessions.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: media worker attacked, another threatened, Sri Lanka: pro-democracy defender arrested while attempting to leave the country, remanded in prison
- Date added
- Aug 29, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 31, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan police arrested three people and unleashed a violent attack on a March 31 demonstration marking the first anniversary of the anti-government protests that began outside the house of former President Gotabhaya Rajapakse in Mirihana and led to a mass movement that forced his resignation.
Security personnel, including 3,000 policemen, were deployed to the area, well before the event. Police attacked the protesters, attempted to grab their placards, and forced them towards the nearby town of Nugegoda.
Police physically attacked and tore the shirt of journalist Shantha Wijesuriya as he was photographing the police violence. Vindana Prasad Karunaratne, a Sirasa TV journalist was also threatened by police.
Anuruddha Bandara, Sudara Jayasinghe and Dhanish Ali, leading figures in last year’s Galle Face Green protests, were arrested but released later that night on condition that they take no legal action against the police.
After the police chased away the crowd, protesters congregated at Nugegoda junction, carrying placards and chanting slogans “Don’t postpone elections!” and “Hands off the rights of people!”
Notwithstanding the Socialist Equality Party’s principled opposition to the pro-capitalist policies of the protest organisers, we strongly condemn the violent government-ordered assault. The Wickremesinghe government is attempting to suppress all popular opposition to its International Monetary Fund-dictated austerity policies.
One year ago on March 31, President Rajapakse ordered a vicious police attack on a protest in the same area. The mass uprising demanding the resignation of Rajapakse and his government erupted and spread nationally in the aftermath of that attack.
Millions of workers called for an end to power cuts and for adequate supplies of food, medicines, petrol and other essentials and took part in two one-day general strikes on April 28 and May 6. Rajapakse ignominiously fled the country on July 13, and then resigned.
Confronted with this mass movement, the ruling elite handed over the task of defending the capitalist state to Ranil Wickremesinghe, a notorious pro-US stooge and International Monetary Fund (IMF) enforcer, making him president.
The Wickremesinghe government, in exchange for the recently announced $US2.9 billion bailout loan from the IMF, is now implementing a new round of social attacks. Even the IMF has described the agenda as a “brutal experiment.”
This is provoking a new round of struggles with workers in telecom, petroleum, education, post, bank, power, ports, water supply and other sectors taking action in recent weeks.
Haunted by last year’s mass anti-government uprising, the Wickremesinghe government, backed by the capitalist class, is attacking basic democratic rights, so as to preempt strikes and protests by workers, students and other social layers.
Violating the constitution, the Wickremesinghe government has postponed local government elections, while using the Essential Public Service Act and deploying the military against anti-privatisation protests and strikes by petroleum workers. Last month the government announced a new Anti-Terrorism Bill, which, if adopted, will ban and harshly punish anyone protesting against government policies.
In this situation, it is critical to draw the political lessons from last year’s popular uprising.
Leading figures in last year’s Galle Face Green protests, which politically diverted workers and youth into support for an interim bourgeois government, are at it again, this time to “pressure” the Wickremesinghe regime.
Those involved in last month’s one-year anniversary protest included, Eranga Gunasekera, national organiser of Socialist Youth Union, which is affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP); Lahiru Weerasekera, the national organiser of Youth for Change led by the pseudo-left Frontline Socialist Party (FSP); and Dhanish Ali and Anuruddha Bandara.
These formations have no fundamental differences with the IMF-dictated austerity measures. The JVP and its National People’s Power (NPP) front are attempting to win political power, claiming they can resurrect Sri Lankan capitalism more effectively than Wickremesinghe. The JVP and its FSP breakaway insist that their “solutions” can be achieved without challenging the parliamentary framework and the profit system.
Addressing the Nugegoda protest on March 31, following the police attack, FSP youth leader Lahiru Weerasekera cynically declared, “We are acting on earlier lessons learnt with [new] experiments” and called for more struggle. The FSP’s perspective is to pressure the government by building alliances with the trade unions and various opposition political parties to form “people’s councils” to win concessions.
While the FSP, JVP and trade union bureaucrats denounce Wickremesinghe’s elevation into the presidency, his austerity measure programs and attacks on democratic rights, they cannot answer one question. Why, after the mass working-class movement forced the resignation of Rajapakse and his government, was Wickremesinghe able to come to power?
The answer is because these organisations betrayed the mass movement, diverting the mass movement behind the demands of the SJB and JVP for an interim capitalist regime.
From the outset, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Sri Lanka fought to mobilise the working class independently, as the leadership of the poor and other oppressed layers, on the basis of an international socialist program.
Against the political illusion-mongering of the opposition parties and the pseudo-left, the SEP and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, called for abolition of the executive presidency and the repressive state apparatus, and for a workers’ and peasants’ government committed to socialist policies.
Based on the political lessons of the popular uprising, the SEP issued a statement on July 20, 2022 calling for a Socialist and Democratic Congress of Workers and Rural Masses as the basis for a political fight against the Wickremesinghe regime and the capitalist class.
We called for the Congress to be based on delegates of action committees of workers and rural toilers, built at every workplace, estate and the countryside. Such committees will only be able to fight for the interests of the workers and the poor if they are politically independent of all the bourgeois parties and the trade union bureaucracies.
Drawing on the political lessons of the betrayal of revolutionary upsurge of the Egyptian working class in 2011, the SEP statement warned: “It [the working class] cannot allow the political initiative to slip from its hands. It needs to tear itself away from all of the political parties of the bourgeoisie, their pseudo-left hangers-on and trade union apparatuses. It must establish its own political instruments to defend its class interests and fight for power.”
The SEP’s call for the building of independent action committees emerges now with added urgency. If power is left in the hands of the bourgeoisie, it will only result in a political catastrophe. The working class cannot fight the Wickremesinghe government’s class war if it remains trapped inside the pro-capitalist trade unions and the pseudo-left.
As the SEP statement insisted, the crucial lesson of last year’s uprising is the building of the SEP as the mass revolutionary party of the working class and rallying of the urban and rural poor against the capitalist profit system.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 29, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 23, 2023
- Event Description
The police have arrested 57 people including Wasantha Mudalige, convener of the Inter-University Student Federation.
The police said the group was arrested when they attempted to forcefully enter the premises of the Ministry of Education in Battaramulla.
There are 48 monks among those arrested.
A group of university students gathered in front of the Ministry of Education and held a protest demanding the resumption of studies at the Homagama Buddhist and Pali University and the release of the previously arrested student activists.
The inter-university Bhikku Federation also staged a protest yesterday at Pitipana intersection in Homagama demanding the authorities to reopen the university that was closed due to student unrest following a ragging incident.
The police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protestors yesterday.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 11, 2023
- Event Description
The 18 arrested including All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) Member of Parliament Selvarajah Kajendran have been released on bail.
Jaffna Magistrate’s Court today, February 12 released each of the 18 members on a personal bail of Rs. 300,000 each.
Furthermore, the Magistrate strongly warned them not to enter the high security zones and to respect court orders.
The group were arrested yesterday, February 11 for engaging in a protest in violation of court a order.
The court order was obtained by Police to prevent disruptions during President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to declare open the Jaffna Cultural Center built with Indian aid.
The monks have accused President Wickremesinghe of encouraging separatism by allowing for the implementation of the 13th amendment.
- Impact of Event
- 16
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender, Lawyer, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 26, 2023
- Event Description
Aragalaya activist, Wasantha Jayakody alias Maco, has been arrested from his home by the Cyber Crimes Investigation Division of the Police, according to his fellow activists.
Jayakody (40) was arrested by the Police on a complaint received about a certain post he had shared on social media in relation to the Independence Day celebration in a manner that can cause public unrest. He is to be produced before the Gangodawila Magistrates Court.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 18, 2023
- Event Description
Prominent civil society leader Velan Swamigal was released on bail after being arrested by Sri Lankan police earlier this evening for reportedly 'obstructing the duties of police' during a protest on Sunday.
Swamigal joined Tamil families of the disappeared and University of Jaffna students as they protested while Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the town to mark Thai Pongal. Protesters were calling on Wickrememsinghe to address their demands: release all lands occupied by the state; provide answers on the whereabouts of the forcibly disappeared and release all Tamil political prisoners.
Sri Lanka's security forces beefed up their presence in Jaffna and attempted to disperse the protesters by erecting barricades and using water cannons on the demonstrators.
Speaking to the press after his release, Sumanthiran said the Sri Lankan police arrested Swamigal at lunch time for "hoisting a black flag against the Sri Lankan president, obstructing the duties of the police, and wounding a police officer" during Sunday's protest.
"It was a peaceful protest. The people here have the right to show that they reject the current president Ranil Wickremesinghe," Sumanthiran added.
Following Swamigal's arrest, Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader Gajen Ponnambalam called the arrest "a fascist act".
"An act that once again makes a mockery of the terms democracy and freedom of expression and freedom of speech," Ponnambalam added.
US based advocacy organisation, PEARL, also expressed their concern over the arrest.
The organisation highlighted that "Tamil groups that oppose state oppression are frequently harassed by the police and threatened with detention under the draconian PTA."
Swamigal, a vocal activist, has previously called on the international community to to support a referendum in Tamil Eelam, so that Tamils on the island could determine their own political future.
In February 2021, Swamigal headed the Pottuvil-to-Polikandy march. Tamils and Muslims in the North-East mobilised en-masse to begin a peaceful march from Pottuvil in Amparai to Polikandy in Jaffna, two points delineating the furthest ends of the traditional Tamil homeland, in defiance of numerous court orders.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: water cannons to disperse demonstrators
- Date added
- Aug 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 28, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara and investigate allegations that he was beaten by police, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
At around 3 p.m. on Friday, July 28, police arrested Uduwaragedara after he covered a trade union protest in Borella, a suburb of the capital Colombo, according to Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, a rights group operating from exile, and Jayantha Dehiaththage, the journalist’s lawyer, who spoke with CPJ by phone.
Officers pulled Uduwaragedara out of a rickshaw while he was leaving the protest and forced him into a police vehicle while he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist, according to Dehiaththage and video of the incident posted to Twitter.
Two officers beat Uduwaragedara while en route to the Borella Police Station, where he remained detained without charge or access to medical treatment for a head injury as of Friday evening, Dehiaththage said.
“The arrest and police beating of Sri Lankan journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara are appalling, and authorities must immediately release him and provide him with access to medical care,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “Authorities must hold the perpetrators of this attack accountable and ensure that journalists can cover protests without fear of reprisal.”
Uduwaragedara operates the political affairs YouTube channel Satahan Radio, which has over 170,000 subscribers.
He is due to appear before a Colombo magistrate on Saturday, Dehiaththage told CPJ, saying that authorities had not disclosed any specific allegations against the journalist.
Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protest, where demonstrators had gathered to oppose the slashing of pension funds amid a severe economic crisis.
CPJ called police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa and contacted him via messaging app for comment, but did not receive any replies.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: another media worker interrogated by the police, Sri Lanka: two social media activists summoned over online remarks
- Date added
- Aug 10, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 25, 2023
- Event Description
Ten trade unions protested opposite the Fort Railway Station on Tuesday (25) morning, demanding an end to the looting of the EPF and ETF under the guise of Debt Restructuring.
However, before the protest took place, Sri Lanka Police obtained an order from the Fort Magistrate's Court preventing 10 trade unionists from entering several places and roads in Colombo.
The order is in effect from 9 AM to 6 PM on Tuesday (26).
The OIC of the Fort Police informed the Fort Magistrate's Court that the actions of the Trade Union leaders could disturb the activities of the public, and thus, based on that request, the order was issued.
The order was issued to 10 people, including Sameera Alwis - an Activist from the Banking and Financial Forum, Niroshan Gorakanage - General Secretary of the All Ceylon General Ports Employees Union, Sameera Pathirana - Deputy Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Workers Union, and Udayanga Hettiarachch - Spokesperson of the Ceylon Petroleum Workers' Union.
They are not permitted to proceed to the President's Office, President's House, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Police Headquarters, Fort Railway Station, as well as from CTO Junction to Olcott Mawatha.
Sri Lanka Police presented the Court Order to the trade union leaders ahead of the protest.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 9, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 26, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lanka Police used water cannons to disperse a group of university student activists who were protesting at Lipton Circus in Colombo on Wednesday (26) afternoon.
They were seeking the immediate release of two student activists who have been in remand custody for over 200 days.
Student activists from the Inter-University Students' Federation gathered at Lipton Circus at around 2 PM on Wednesday (26) and launched a protest.
They were seeking the immediate release of two student activists who have been in remand custody for over 200 days, namely the Chairman of the Student Union of the University of Kelaniya Kelum Mudannayake, and Student Activist Dilshan Harshana.
Sri Lanka Police and Crowd Control Units was stationed at the premises, and the university students were given a considerable time period to vacate.
The university students then attempted to proceed towards the University Grants Commission, and in order to prevent them from moving forward, Sri Lanka Police used water cannons.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 9, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 23, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lanka tightened security on Sunday as activists lit oil lamps in the capital, Colombo, commemorating the hundreds killed in 1983 anti-Tamil riots that fueled a deadly civil war.
"Let's not forget the slaughter of Tamils," read a banner carried by members of North-South Solidarity, a group of rights defenders from the country's majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil communities.
Several dozen activists lit coconut oil lamps and candles outside Colombo's main cemetery, where the inter-communal violence started 40 years ago.
The then-government attempted a mass burial at the cemetery for 13 Sinhalese soldiers killed in a Tamil rebel land mine attack on July 23, 1983.
Relatives demanded individual funerals for the soldiers and clashed with police, before turning their attacks on Tamils and Tamil-owned shops in the area.
What began as a spontaneous backlash against Tamils degenerated into state-led deadly violence that lasted six days.
Official estimates place the riot death toll between 400 to 600, but Tamil groups say the actual number is in the thousands.
There have been no prosecutions, even though some members of the then-government were seen leading the Sinhalese mobs.
At Sunday's commemoration, authorities deployed heavily armed troops who outnumbered demonstrators, while an AFP journalist saw police kicking and stomping on oil lamps placed along the pavement just outside the cemetery.
Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe has cracked down on dissent since he came to power last year.
His United National Party was in power when the 1983 riots broke out.
The then-president, Junius Jayewardene, Wickremesinghe's uncle, is widely accused of not doing anything to prevent the violence.
A Tamil insurgency demanding a separate state for their ethnic minority developed into a full-blown civil war that eventually claimed the lives of at least 100,000 people, before the rebel leadership was defeated in May 2009.
Police try to disperse a group commemorating the anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983, at an event held in Colombo on July 23, 2023. The week-long violence targeting Tamils 40 years ago changed the course of Sri Lanka’s history. | Photo Credit: AFP
When a handful of individuals convened near the Borella Cemetery in Colombo on July 23, to mark the 40th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s anti-Tamil pogrom in 1983, a few angry young men disrupted the proceedings despite heavy police presence.
Members of an extremist Sinhala nationalist outfit — known for its visceral hate for the island’s ethnic minorities — the men barged into the gathering with familiar aggression and hurled abuse at the participants at the peaceful remembrance, branding them as “Tiger” (to connote the LTTE) and “terrorist”. It was an exact replay of the scenes witnessed at the same venue on May 18, at a rare Colombo commemoration of the end of the civil war. On both occasions, the huge contingent of riot police asked the activists, not disruptors, to disperse immediately.
‘Can’t remember, Can’t forget’ For families of Tamil victims killed in the many cycles of violence in Sri Lanka, remembering the dead has not been easy. Forgetting those traumatic times is even harder.
Cheryl Arnold recalls the events that unfolded over the last week of July 1983 like they happened yesterday. She was 13 and studying at a famous girls’ school in Colombo, with children from different ethnic backgrounds. “Until that time, I was not conscious of my ethnic identity. We were all in the same class, we were friends. But that week changed everything for our family.”
The tension was palpable and everyone around was talking about it. “I couldn’t follow everything at the time, but I understood that the Tamils were in danger.” And very soon, the danger came close to her home located at the heart of Colombo, when the family saw a mob set fire to the house on top of their lane, where an elderly couple lived. “My brothers tried to douse the fire there and had apparently been noticed by the mob... days later, the mob came to our home and threatened us. One of them put a knife to my brother’s neck,” she said, of her older sibling’s narrow escape.
Ms. Arnold comes from a mixed ethnic family, her mother is Sinhalese and her father is Tamil. “My mother somehow spoke to them... while my father and I stayed at a neighbour’s home.” As violence began escalating on July 24, some friends drove her, along with her parents, to an uncle’s home. “It must have been barely two hours since we left, we heard that our house was ablaze.” Her three brothers each had their own “equally traumatic escape story” before the family converged at a church days later. It had turned into a refugee shelter for many like them who were “fortunate to be alive”.
Her parents subsequently left the country and sought asylum abroad. Deeply affected by the violence and loss of their home built with his hard-earned life savings, her father took ill. It was when Ms. Arnold tried to visit her ailing father that the reality of being Tamil in Sri Lanka hit her hard. In her case, even being half a Tamil was enough to face high risk and discrimination from fellow citizens and foreigners. “The embassy treated me like some sort of suspect... as someone who was trying to migrate to never return. They rejected my visa…by the time I reapplied and got it, it was too late,” she said, fighting tears. Her father had passed on. The family was scattered across countries and could never live together as they did before.
Although the Tamils living on the island, including the Malaiyaha (hill country) Tamils, faced periodic bouts of mob violence right from the 1950s, the pogrom of 1983 that claimed thousands of lives and rendered several thousands homeless, proved a watershed in Sri Lankan history. ‘Black July’, as the period is often described, propelled a festering ethnic conflict into a full-blown civil war lasting decades.
It changed every Tamil individual’s life in significant ways. Many families, including professionals from various walks of life, fled the country. Tamil women dreaded wearing the pottu (bindi) for years, fearing it would give their ethnic identity away. “1983 brought about a drastic shift in our lives changing the course of our history... somewhat like BC and AD,” said Jaffna legislator M.A. Sumanthiran, recalling his family’s unsettling journey by sea from Colombo to Jaffna.
Challenging the dominant narrative The death and destruction during the time have been documented in detail.
The Civil Rights Movement (CRM) of Sri Lanka, one of the oldest human rights organisations in the country, termed the series of incidents a “holocaust”. “The shock and horror of recent events when many Sri Lankans were hunted out, assaulted, killed, their homes and possessions destroyed, and places of business burnt for no other reason than that they belonged to the Tamil community permeate our lives today and will continue to do so for a long time to come,” the CRM said in its report.
It especially drew attention to the massacre of 53 Tamil prisoners at the high-security Welikada prison in Colombo during the week of gruesome violence.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Vilification, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to protect reputation
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Minority rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Armed forces/ Military, Police
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Extremist group
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Aug 3, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jul 4, 2023
- Event Description
At a time where the government of Sri Lanka is facing major criticism from various factions for its proposed Broadcast Authority Regulatory Act, the Criminal Investigation Department and the Financial Crime Division summoned two social media activists, for inquiries on Tuesday (04).
Activist Tharindu Uduwaragedara, who owns the YouTube channel Satahan Radio, was summoned to the CID to record a statement with regard to the comments he made over the arrest of Nathasha Edirisooriya, who was remanded for controversial comments she had made.
"I commented on the nature of the arrest, and the conduct of the media. I have been summoned to the CID for that," said Uduwaragedara.
The social media activist stated that over the past few decades, the country has seen patterns of governance, where the rulers always incite the people using lies and racism, and thereafter drag the country into an abyss.
"The people started to understand that group via YouTube videos. According to the present government, there is no greater crime than speaking. The Anti Terrorism Act relates to expression. They have also appointed a committee to introduce laws against religious defamation," added Uduwaragedara.
The social media activist, speaking to media, said that the government wants to introduce a Broadcasting Regulatory Act, and that document was leaked to the media.
He added that the government is trying to introduce new laws for contempt of court, as well as social media regulation.
"The most serious form of terrorism, according to the government, is freedom of expression," he said.
Social media activist Dharshana Handungoda was also summoned to the Financial Crime Division in Narahenpita in order to record a statement regarding the YouTube channel SL VLOG.
"They say that I sold this channel. The previous channel I worked for was SL VLOG. Some say it belongs to me. It does not belong to me. Our PR is here to show the list of directors," Handungoda said, speaking to the media, following his appearance at the Financial Crime Division.
It is also noteworthy that Dharshana Handungoda was arrested on the 5th of February 2023, over posting controversial views on social media platforms.
Tharindu Uduwaragedara was summoned before the CID on 28 June 2022.
On 8 November 2022, he was questioned by the Cyber Crimes Investigation Division (CCID) for nearly 3 hours at the Criminal Investigation Department in Colombo.
On the 28th of May, Nathasha Edirisooriya was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), for allegedly making defamatory comments about Buddhism.
Social media activist Bruno Divakara was also arrested by the Cyber Crimes Division of the Criminal Investigation Department on the 31st of May.
He was arrested for sharing her content.
Amidst a slew of arrests and interrogations being carried out on journalists and social media activists in Sri Lanka, questions are being raised by various factions as to whether the media freedom of Sri Lanka is under threat once again, similar to the dark era in Sri Lankan history where multiple journalists were killed, assaulted, or disappeared.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: social media activist arrested
- Date added
- Jul 11, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- May 28, 2023
- Event Description
Stand-up comedian, Nathasha Edirisooriya, who drew widespread criticism in the country for allegedly making derogatory remarks about religions, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to the police, she was taken into custody at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake on Sunday night while attempting to fly out of the country.
The CID received a complaint against Edirisooriya for allegedly insulting religions, including Buddhism, and Christianity during a stand-up comedy show.
She later shared a video and publicly apologised for the statements made.
Sri Lanka's religious affairs minister said that the country is drafting new legislation to control the incidents of religious slander and online virulence.
Sri Lanka's Minister of Buddhashasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka, on Sunday, said that legislation would be soon passed to control the growing incidents of religious slander in the country.
"This will stop all incidents of demeaning religion on social media," he claimed.
Earlier this month, Pastor Jerome Fernando, a self-styled Godman, was condemned for making disparaging remarks about Lord Buddha, the video of which went viral on social media.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the Criminal Investigation Department to launch a probe into the matter, asserting that such statements could create religious conflicts in the country.
Fernando also released a public apology before fleeing to Singapore.
He then filed a fundamental rights petition to block his impending arrest.
In January, famous YouTuber Sepal Amarasinghe was sent to police custody for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Sacred Tooth relic of Lord Buddha.
Sri Lanka's population, which roughly comprises 22 million, approximately 74 per cent are Buddhists. Sri Lanka's Constitution, while also respecting other communities and their rights, concedes Buddhism as the "foremost place" among the country's religious faiths.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Travel Restriction
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of movement, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Artist, WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jun 16, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- May 31, 2023
- Event Description
Social media activist Bruno Divakara was arrested on Wednesday (31) by the Computer Crimes Investigations Division of the CID.
Police spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa said, Bruno Divakara was arrested for publishing comments made by Natasha Edirisooriya, which sparked controversy.
Bruno Divakara was informed to report to the Computer Crimes Investigations Division of the CID by 10 AM on Wednesday (31).
Sri Lanka Police said that a statement was recorded from him, and thereafter in the evening he was arrested.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jun 6, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- May 21, 2023
- Event Description
On 21 and 23 May 2023, Sri Lankan human rights defender and human rights lawyer Priyalal Sirisena received threatening phone calls from unidentified persons who warned him to stop his work and actions against a ‘minister’. Although the minister was not named during the call, there is good reason to believe that the threats are linked to Priyalal Sirisena’s legal action against a powerful elected official in Sri Lanka for contempt of court.
Priyalal Sirisena is a human rights defender and lawyer who has dedicated himself to supporting and advocating on behalf of victims of human rights violations, especially victims of custodial torture and arbitrary detention, in Sri Lanka. The human rights defender has represented groups such as the Small Scale Fishers (SSF) in seeking justice against large scale licence holders whose practices cause marine destruction which impact their livelihood. He is a vocal advocate against the abuse of anti-terror laws and was part of the legal team that opposed the Counter Terrorism Bill in 2018. Priyalal Sirisena has engaged with national and international stakeholders to raise awareness of Sri Lanka’s human rights record including by coordinating the national civil society submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review in 2017 and 2022.
More recently, Priyalal Sirisena has been involved in a legal case against a State Minister for contempt of court based on this minister’s public criticism of the magistrate court’s decision to grant bail to protesters linked to the economic crisis. Two charge sheets were filed against the minister in this case on 23 February 2023.
On 21 May 2023, the human rights defender Priyalal Sirisena received two phone calls from a foreign number. The unidentified caller warned him to withdraw any actions taken against ‘the minister’ and threatened him with consequences if he failed to comply.
Concerned for his safety, the human rights defender filed a complaint with the Kurunegala Police in the North Western Province on 22 May 2023. The following day, at approximately 9:30pm, he received another threatening call from a different foreign number, which he recorded. The unidentified caller warned Priyalal Sirisena to withdraw whatever action he had taken against the minister or face the consequences.
Prior to this, on 9 May 2023, two unidentified persons on a motorbike visited Priyalal Sirisena's residence in Kurunegala and asked his mother about the human rights defender’s whereabouts. Priyalal Sirisena believes that the threats and intimidation are linked to his legal action against the powerful state minister and are aimed at silencing his work.
Sri Lanka has seen a rise in reprisals and intimidation against human rights defenders, and in this climate there are reasons to fear for the human rights defender’s safety. Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the threats and intimidation against Priyalal Sirisena which it believes are linked to his legitimate and non-violent human rights work.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Reprisal as Result of Communication
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to work
- HRD
- Lawyer
- Perpetrator-State
- Unknown
- Perpetrator-Non-State
- Unknown
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Jun 2, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- May 18, 2023
- Event Description
The Convenor of the Inter-University Student's Federation Wasantha Mudalige and seven other student activists were arrested on Thursday (18) night following a protest at the University of Kelaniya.
Among the arrested is Venerable Rathkarawwe Jinarathana Thero, said Sri Lanka Police.
Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thaldiwa told News 1st that two police officers who attempted to control the protest were injured.
University students of the University of Kelaniya protested against student suppression and the conduct of the Sri Lankan government.
- Impact of Event
- 8
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 23, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- May 10, 2023
- Event Description
Social activist Piyath Nikeshala has been hospitalised after being assaulted by the former deputy mayor of Kaduwela – Chandika Abeyratne.
Photos and videos of the brutal attack by Abeyratne and his henchmen are making rounds on social media.
Piyath played a prominent role in the ‘Aragalaya’ protests last year.
Social media activist Piyath Nikeshala and the former Kaduwela deputy mayor Chandika Abeyratne have been arrested in connection to a clash between two parties in Koswatta, Thalangama yesterday (10).
The Police stated that an investigation had been launched based on a complaint claiming that a social media activist had been injured in a clash between two parties on Samagi Mawatha in Koswatte.
According to the complaint from the social media activist, who is a resident of Samagi Mawatha, he had been admitted to the Thalangama Hospital with injuries following the clash.
As per a statement from the social media activist, the former Kaduwela deputy mayor along with a group of others had arrived in two vehicles and had carried out an attack on him and his vehicle.
The Police stated that the social media activist has been transferred to the Colombo National Hospital for further treatment.
Meanwhile, the former Kaduwela deputy mayor has also filed a complaint claiming that he had been attacked during the clash as well, while he is receiving treatment at the Mulleriyawa Hospital.
Based on the complaints from the two parties, the Thalangama Police have arrested both the social media activist and the former Kaduwela deputy mayor over the clash.
Both suspects are receiving treatment at the relevant hospitals under Police protection, while the Thalangama Police is conducting investigations into the incident.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment, Violence (physical), Wounds and Injuries
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Government, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 15, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 28, 2023
- Event Description
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said that 20 petroleum workers including trade union leaders were sent on compulsory leave.
"On Tuesday (28) the fast they launched was a failure. Only trade union leaders were present for the fast. During the lunch hour, they entered the premises under the influence of alcohol and threatened the employees and took measures to withdraw them from their duties," the minister told reporters on Wednesday (29) in Colombo.
The Minister noted that due to this action, workers were intimidated to report to work.
"Therefore, we sought protection from the Police and Military. The employees worked at night under police and military protection," he said.
In addition, some of those who took part in the strike are retired and working on a political agenda to engage in acts of sabotage, said the Minister adding that an investigation will be held to determine how they entered the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited premises.
On Tuesday (28), the Minister tweeted that he instructed Chairmen of CPC & CPSTL to take necessary disciplinary steps to consider termination of employment & any legal steps necessary against trade union activist or employees that are disrupting the distribution of fuel, disrupting the work of other employees or is acting in violation of the essential services orders.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to Protest, Right to work
- HRD
- Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 2, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Apr 1, 2023
- Event Description
On 1 April 2023, journalist and human rights defender Ramachandran Sanath was summoned to appear before the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) office in Nuwareliya (Central Province) for an inquiry on 6 April 2023. The summons was delivered to Ramachandran Sanath’s home in Kandy. The TID refused to disclose the purpose of the inquiry. Front Line Defenders is concerned about the harassment of Ramachandran Sanath, and believe this treatment is linked to his human rights and journalism work. Ramachandran Sanath is an independent Tamil journalist, human rights defender, and advocate for the rights of plantation workers in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He held the position of executive treasurer and currently serves as an executive member of the Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association. He has previously worked for the Tamil-language daily print newspaper "Sudaroli", and the news web- site "Malayaga Kuruvi”. Ramachandran Sanath presently works as a parliament correspondent for Uthayan, and serves as an international correspondent for Ethiroli, an Australian Tamil news web- site. He is known for his outspoken criticism of government policies. Apart from his work as a jour- nalist, Ramachandran Sanath actively writes about social issues and the human rights issues per- taining to Indian-origin Tamils in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, he has been actively involved in protest- ing and advocating for land rights and fair wages for plantation workers. The summoning of Ramachandran Sanath by the TID has raised serious concerns regarding his safety and security, as the Sri Lankan anti-terror law and its associated mechanisms have histori- cally been employed against Tamils and Muslims. There are frequent reports of harassment di- rected towards human rights defenders, peaceful protesters, and journalists, indicative of reprisals for their efforts to promote human rights and expose abuses. The Indian-origin Tamils, also known as Malayaga Tamils, were brought to Sri Lanka in the 1800s by the British to work on plantations. They have faced continuous human rights violations, notably the stripping of citizenship rights in 1948, and the denial of land ownership after the Regional Plan - tation Companies took over in 1992. Issues of low pay, increased workloads, and demands for land rights have sparked protests and strikes. These struggles have been consistently and vehe- mently opposed, and the wage increase proposals and solutions are often unfair and fragmented. Moreover, those advocating for fair wages and land rights for the Malayaga Tamils have frequently been subjected to persecution by both the state and plantation companies. Ramachandran Sanath has been targeted, harassed, and been subject to surveillance due to his journalism in advocacy for fair wages and land rights of Malayaga plantation workers in Sri Lanka. After participating in a wage rights protest in February 2021, he was subjected to harassment and surveillance. In March and May 2021, unidentified individuals claiming to be intelligence officers visited his family's homes inquiring about his whereabouts and activities. The human rights de- fender wrote to the Inspector General of Police on 25 May 2021, in response to the intimidation, but no action has been taken thus far. Front Line Defenders is deeply troubled by the acts of reprisals against Ramachandran Sanath, as well as other human rights activists and journalists, particularly those from Tamil and Muslim com- munities. It is imperative that all individuals, especially journalists and human rights defenders, are able to engage in peaceful protests and legitimate dissent without fear of reprisals from the Sri Lankan government or other structures.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- May 1, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Mar 8, 2023
- Event Description
Six university students who were arrested during Wednesday (8) night's protest at the Kelaniya University will be produced to the Mahara Magistrate on Thursday (9).
Sri Lanka Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse a group of university students at the Kelaniya University premises. This protest commenced at around 9 PM on Wednesday (8).
This protest was organized against the arrest of Student Leader Kelum Mudannayake, and Student Activist Dilshan Harshana, and the students demanded their immediate release.
Though tear gas and water cannons were used multiple times to disperse the protesting students, they continued to engage in the protest until midnight.
One lane along the Colombo - Kandy main road was completely blocked due to the protest, disrupting the movement of traffic.
- Impact of Event
- 7
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Mar 19, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 26, 2023
- Event Description
Police in Sri Lanka on Sunday fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters angry over a decision to postpone local elections after the government said it cannot finance them because of the country’s crippling economic crisis.
About 15 people were treated for minor injuries, according to Colombo National Hospital.
Thousands of supporters of the opposition National People’s Power party tried to march toward the main business district in capital Colombo, ignoring police warnings after a court order barred them from entering the area, which includes the president’s residence, office and several key government buildings.
The order had been obtained in the backdrop of last July’s massive protests, when thousands of people stormed the presidential office and residence and occupied them for days. The crisis forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign.
The turmoil was caused by severe shortages of some foods, fuel, cooking gas and medicine, after Sri Lanka went bankrupt because it could not repay its foreign debt. The new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, negotiated a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund for $2.9 billion over four years, but it can be finalized only if Sri Lanka’s creditors give assurances on debt restructuring.
Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt exceeds $ 51 billion, of which it must repay $28 billion by 2027. India and several other creditor countries have so far given assurances that meet the IMF standards, but the deal hinges on whether China would agree to debt restructuring at the same level.
The Finance Ministry under Wickremesinghe said it can’t allocate sufficient funds for the March 9 elections for town and village councils, even though political parties had submitted nominations.
The decision forced the Election Commission to indefinitely postpone the elections.
Despite signs of progress in reducing shortages and ending daily power cuts after nearly a year, Wickremesinghe is immensely unpopular. Many people say he lacks the mandate because he was elected by lawmakers backed by Rajapaksa supporters. They accuse Wickremesinghe of protecting members of the Rajapaksa family from corruption allegations in return for backing him in Parliament.
The National People’s Power party, which organized Sunday’s rally, has only three lawmakers in Sri Lanka’s 225-member Parliament but it enjoys a wave of public support after the economic crisis eroded the popularity of traditional political parties that have ruled Sri Lanka since independence.
An individual who was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital following the protest staged by the Jathika Jana Balavegaya in Colombo on Sunday (27) has died.
General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva speaking to reporters in Colombo on Monday (27) said a peaceful protest by the JJB was attacked, and as a result of an attack around 28 people were hospitalized due to injuries.
"Two people were in critical condition. One of them passed away on Monday (27) afternoon. He was one named, Nimal Amarasiri, a candidate for the Nivithigala Pradeshiya Sabha of the Ratnapura District," he added.
Silva said the government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe should be responsible for the life that was lost, adding that the JJB did not want any confrontation with police and only wanted to protest demanding their right for an election.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Death, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to life, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
AP | News First
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 20, 2023
- Event Description
The Police fired tear gas on a protest staged by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Colombo today.
The protest was staged to demand the Government to hold the Local Government (LG) election next month.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB MPs took part in the protest despite the heavy rain.
The Police had earlier warned that since an election has been declared a protest march cannot be staged under election laws.
However the SJB went ahead with the protest march and were obstructed by the Police in Maradana.
The Police later fired water cannons on the protest march and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Six protesters including four Buddhist monks had been arrested last night over a protest demonstration held near the Kelaniya University at Dalugama, Kelaniya, the Police said.
The Police said they had to fire tear gas and use water cannons to disperse the protestors who blocked the Kandy- Colombo Main Highway near the Kelaniya University.
The arrested Buddhist monks, students of the Kelaniya University, identified as aged between 23 and 26 and were residing in temples in Kahaduwa, Thummodara, Pitabeddara and Mirissa. The male students are identified as residents of Anguruwathota and Kinniya.
- Impact of Event
- 7
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 15, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lankan police used water cannons on Tamil protesters in Jaffna earlier today as they rallied against President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to the district.
The state's forces had erected barricades as the rally approached Arasady Road in Nallur to obstruct protesters from continuing their demonstration. As protesters tried to push past the barricades, water cannons were deployed in attempt to break up the rally.
Despite the excessive use of force and heavy presence of the Sri Lankan military and it's notorious Special Task Force (STF), Tamils defiantly continued to protest, calling for release of occupied Tamil lands, the fate of the forcibly disappeared and the release of Tamil political prisoners.
Protesters were seen throwing water mixed with cow dung at the security forces while others shampooed their hair with the water from the cannons in brave acts of defiance. Sri Lankan's security forces have used intimidation tactics and excessive force on Tamils in the North-East for decades in order to quash their resistance.
Earlier today, buses from Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya carrying Tamil families of the disappeared were stopped and questioned by the Sri Lankan police. They also took down the personal details of all the buses drivers and those on the bus.
Successive Sri Lankan governments have failed to address the concerns of the Tamil nation. Although Wickremesinghe has a lengthy history in Sri Lankan politics, serving as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1993 to 1994, 2001 to 2004, 2015 to 2015, 2015 to 2018, 2018 to 2019 and 2022, demands by the Tamil community remain unaddressed.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 28, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 16, 2023
- Event Description
Sri Lanka Police fired tear gas and water cannons twice to disperse protesters led by the Inter-University Student's Federation in Colombo on Monday (16).
The protest was set to commence from Lipton Circus in Colombo, and based on that information a large police force coupled with the Riot Police were seen stationed at the Lipton Circus on Monday (16) afternoon.
However, the protest commenced from opposite the United Nations office in Colombo.
The Inter-University Students' Federation organized this protest demanding the immediate release of Wasantha Mudalige who has been detained under the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act for 150 days.
They also demanded the government reduce the prices of electricity, gas, and fuel while calling for the immediate abolishment of the Prevention of Terrorist Act.
In addition, the protesters demanded the state end the oppression targeting student leaders and called for the release of all detained activists.
Civil groups and trade unions also supported the protest opposte the UN office where Sri Lanka Police deployed the Riot Police with Water Cannon trucks.
The group protested for almost half an hour opposite the UN office and then marched to Galle Road.
While the protesters were reaching the Colpetty Junction, a large force of Sri Lanka Police, Riot Police, and the Water Cannon trucks moved at them from Galle Face and announced a court order using loudspeakers.
Thereafter the group moved to Marine Driver via Sirikotha Mawatha, and St. Anthony's Mawatha to engage in the protest march.
However, when the Police Officers and Riot Police entered Marine Driver the protesters diverted back to Galle Road to protest.
At the Colpetty Junction, Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.
The protesters regrouped opposite the University of the Visual and Performing Arts to protest again.
Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters opposite the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, for the second time.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 27, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 3, 2023
- Event Description
The Chairman and an activist of the Student Union of the University of Kelaniya were arrested by Thalangama Police.
They were arrested for damaging the gate of the Education Ministry on the 10th of July 2022.
The Chairman of the Student Union of the University of Kelaniya Kelum Mudannayake, and activist Dilshan Harshana were arrested by Thalangama Police when they visited the Police Station to provide a statement.
They will be prododuced to the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court on Tuesday (3).
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 18, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Jan 23, 2023
- Event Description
The Spokesperson for the Samagi United Trade Union Balavegaya Ananda Palitha, and Secretary of the Electricity Users' Association Dhammika Sanjeewa, who visited the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka recently to inquire about the attempt to hike electricity tariffs, were arrested on Monday (23) night and were produced in court on Tuesday (24).
They were charged with criminal influence and were remanded to the 26th of January 2023 by Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage.
The case was filed against them for protesting against the members of the Public Utilities Commission during a protest opposite the PUCSL in Colombo.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Labour rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 18, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 6, 2023
- Event Description
Social media activist Dharshana Handungoda who was arrested over posting controversial views on social media platforms, was enlarged on bail.
The order was issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage yesterday. The suspect was released on two sureties of Rs.500, 000 each.
The Criminal Investigations Department informed the Magistrate that the suspect was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport, upon arrival from Dubai.
The CID further told the Magistrate that the suspect was summoned to the Criminal Investigations Department to record a statement regarding the controversial statement that he had made in front of Temple Trees on May 9.
“It appears that the suspect’s statement was the reason for the incident that took place on May 9,” the CID added.
Senior Counsel Chaminda Athukorala appearing on behalf of the suspect stated that his client had been summoned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) unofficially without a properly written document.
He further noted that his client sent an email to the Criminal Investigations Department mentioning his arrival to the country. He also pointed out that the charges filed against his client did not fall under the Computer Crimes Act. The Magistrate fixed further inquiries for May 17.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online, Right to liberty and security
- HRD
- Blogger/ Social Media Activist
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 18, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Feb 3, 2023
- Event Description
President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka President's Counsel Saliya Pieris has raised concerns over peaceful protesters, who were detained while they were staging the 'Satyagraha for freedom' yesterday in Maradana, being denied access to lawyers.
He stressed that the Police detaining access to legal counsel is in direct violation of Enforced Disappearance Act No.5 of 2018 which requires Police to give access to lawyers and relatives.
Police last night dispersed a group of peaceful activists staging a Satyagraha opposite Elphinstone Theatre in Maradana.
Police Media Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa confirmed that four people have been arrested.
Posting on social media President's Counsel Saliya Pieris further stressed that "Independence and freedom must be for the people and not limited to those in power."
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Feb 6, 2023
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 27, 2022
- Event Description
On 27 November 2022, Sri Lankan police visited Selvakumar Nilanthan’s residence in Batticaloa and interrogated his family about his whereabouts. Nilanthan was forced to leave Sri Lanka 8 months ago due to continuous threats and intimidation. Police had questioned his family about his country of current residence, countries recently visited and his phone number. They threatened the family that if Nilanthan did not respond to police summons the family would be forced to appear instead. Intimidation of Tamil journalists and human rights defenders in the highly militarized North and East of Sri Lanka continues with impunity. Threatening family members of human rights defenders is an additional burden to the hardship they are forced to endure.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Family of HRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: media workers faces continuous harassment
- Date added
- Dec 16, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 17, 2022
- Event Description
Since taking office in July amid an unprecedented economic and political crisis, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe has suppressed anti-government protests and hounded alleged protest organizers. Among his most egregious actions has been to use the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to detain student activists.
On Thursday, a magistrate in Colombo, the capital, ruled to keep 2 student organizers behind bars after they already spent 90 days in detention without charge. The government has produced no evidence that Wasantha Mudalige, convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation, and Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, the convener of the Inter University Bhikku [monks’] Federation, were involved in terrorism.
The next day, police teargassed protesters in Colombo demanding the students’ release.
The PTA has been used to enable prolonged arbitrary detention and torture since it was introduced as a “temporary” measure in 1979. Often the victims are members of the minority Tamil or Muslim communities, or critics of the government. The abuse of the law was raised in parliament this week.
In August, shortly after becoming president, Wickremesinghe used his powers under the PTA to order the students’ detention. Yet when he was prime minister in 2015, he had promised to repeal the law as part of Sri Lanka’s support for a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution. He again promised to repeal it in 2017, when Sri Lanka committed to uphold its international human rights obligations in exchange for tariff-free access to the European Union under a trade arrangement called GSP+.
This March, then justice minister – now foreign minister – Ali Sabry told parliament there was a “de facto moratorium on the use of the PTA.” In July, the then-Foreign Minister G.L. Pieris gave the same assurance to the UN Human Rights Council.
Successive governments have broken these commitments time and again. Wickremesinghe should immediately release the detained students and others arbitrarily detained without trial under the PTA, as well as prisoners who were convicted based on confessions obtained under torture.
The government should introduce a genuine moratorium on the PTA, and ensure that any counterterrorism legislation that replaces it complies with the five “prerequisites” set out by UN experts to meet international human rights standards.
Sri Lanka’s international partners, including the European Union, should judge the government by its actions and hold it to its commitments.
- Impact of Event
- 3
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Other (e.g. undefined, organisation, community)
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention, Judicial Harassment, Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly, Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment, Right to liberty and security, Right to Protest
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, Pro-democracy defender, Student
- Perpetrator-State
- Judiciary, Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 20, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 8, 2022
- Event Description
On 8 November 2022, Sri Lankan journalist, media rights campaigner and human rights defender Tharindu Jayawardhana received a call asking him to appear at the Criminal Investigation De- partment (CID) in Colombo for an inquiry on 14 November 2022. The human rights defender was informed that the inquiry is based on a complaint filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) re - garding a Facebook post published by him on 17 October 2022. Tharindu Jayawardhana is a respected investigative journalist and a dedicated human rights de- fender. He is the president of the Sri Lanka Young Journalist Association (SLYJA) and the chief ed- itor of MediaLK, an investigative news website. He also works as a researcher at the Centre for Society and Religion(CSR). As a journalist and human rights defender, Tharindu Jayawardhana has been an advocate for the rights of oppressed and vulnerable communities and against state vi- olence. On 8 November 2022, Tharindu Jayawardhana received summons via a phone call from a police officer requesting him to appear at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for an inquiry, on 9 November 2022. Tharindu Jayawardhana expressed he could not be present on that day and agreed to appear at 9.30am on 14 November 2022. The human rights defender was informed that the inquiry was based on a complaint filed by the IGP regarding a Facebook post published by him on 17 October 2022. The post included images of police officers using disproportionate force and disrupting peaceful protesters in Colombo on 9 October 2022 and sought public assistance to iden- tify and report officers. Similar summons was issued to journalist/human rights defender Tharindu Uduwaragedara linked to the same Facebook post. Tharindu Jayawardhana was targeted several times in the past for his human rights work and re- porting. In June 2021, he received a death threat via Facebook from Senior Deputy Inspector Gen- eral of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon. Over a year later, on 9 August 2022, the human rights de- fender was summoned to the CID Head Quarters in Colombo to make a statement regarding the death threats made against him by Senior DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon. Tharindu Jayawardhana has exposed police torture, and torture chambers such as in the ‘Ko- tadeniyawa case’ in October 2015, used by the Kotadeniyawa police against citizens. Since the in- ception of protests in 2022 linked to the economic crisis, Tharindu Jayawardhana has been report- ing on peaceful protests, disproportionate use of force by police and reprisals against protesters. He has used his social media accounts to challenge disinformation against protesters and expose state violence. He is a key campaigner against the ongoing detention of student leaders Wasantha Mudalige and Siridhamma Thero under the Draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2022 linked to their role in the protests. In September 2022, Tharindhu Jayawardhana used the Right to Informa- tion (RTI) act to seek information regarding the alleged use of expired tear gas by the Sri Lankan police used against protesters. Despite interventions by the RTI commission, the police denied pro- viding information citing national security and integrity.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Nov 17, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Nov 9, 2022
- Event Description
On 7 November 2022, police officers from the Welikada police station visited journalist and human rights defender Tharindu Uduwaragedara’s residence in Colombo. Police handed over a summons for the defender to appear at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Colombo 01 for interrogation on 8 November 2022. The defender was informed that the inquiry/interrogation is based on a complaint filed by the Inspector General of Police based on a Facebook post published by the defender on 17 October 2022. The post includes images of police officers using disproportionate force and disrupting peaceful protesters during a protest in Colombo on 9 October 2022. In his post the defender sought public assistance to identify and report officers who had behaved in an unruly, illegal and disruptive fashion towards peaceful protesters.
Tharindu Uduwaragedara is a well known journalist, human rights defender and convener of the Sri Lanka Young Journalists Association. He has been active in reporting and documenting the ongoing protests in Sri Lanka linked to the economic crisis, and exposing police abuse against peaceful protesters. He has been targeted on several occasions and summoned for interrogation repeatedly due to his journalism and human rights work.
Front Line Defenders condemns attempts to threaten and intimidate Tharindu Uduwaragedara by Sri Lanka police as reprisal for his work. We call on Sri Lankan authorities to cease persecution of journalists and human rights defenders engaging in their legitimate work and create an environment that protects human rights activists.
On 8 November 2022, human rights defender and journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara was questioned by the Cyber Crimes Investigation Division (CCID) for nearly 3 hours at the Criminal Investigation Department in Colombo.
The CCID officer told the human rights defender that he was summoned to record a statement based on a complaint lodged by the Inspector General of Police on 27 October 2022 regarding a Facebook post. The post includes images of police officers using disproportionate force and disrupting peaceful protesters during a protest in Colombo on 9 October 2022. The officer asked the human rights defender for personal details, information on the revenue made through his YouTube Channel, more specifically about the Sri Lanka Young Journalist Association and their activities. The officer also questioned the intention behind Tharindu Uduwaragedara’s Facebook post and mentioned that it may pose a threat to the safety of the police officers that were identified in the post. Tharindu Uduwaragedara responded by saying that it was his journalistic duty to point out the unruly behavior of the police officers towards peaceful demonstrators, and that there were no ulterior motive behind his post. He also pointed out the statements issued by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), where it has been stated that the Police Ordinance should not be used to violate the Constitution’s fundamental rights. The human rights defender was not informed of further proceedings in the investigation against him.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Related Events
- Sri Lanka: media worker summoned by the police
- Date added
- Nov 17, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Sep 3, 2022
- Event Description
On 3 September 2022, human rights defender Sabharatnam Sivayoganathan, also known as Seelan, received a summons to appear before the Counter-Terrorism Investigation Division (CTID) for interrogation on 9 September 2022. The reason for the questioning was not given. The human rights defender’s lawyer wrote to the CTID requesting to postpone the inquiry because of the ill-health of his fatherand provided documents confirming the medical condition. The letter was handed over to the officer in charge of the Terrorism Investigation Division, Fort, Colombo. On 12 September 2022, Seelan received a call from a police officer from the Kallady, Batticaloa police station, and was informed that the inquiry will be conducted in Batticaloa and with a date to be specified.
Sabharatnam Sivayoganathan is a longstanding human rights defender in Sri Lanka. During the ethnic conflict and civil war in Sri Lanka, Seelan supported victims of human rights violations in their fight for justice, many of whom are from vulnerable and impoverished communities. Seelan is an active committee member of the Batticaloa district NGO Consortium, a committee member of Transparency International Sri Lanka and the President of Batticaloa district civil society forum. Seelan has been part of several initiatives in relation to peace-building, transitional justice and the reconciliation processes. He has been vocal about the reprisals and intimidation faced by regional journalists, military land grabbing, militarization and the Presentation of Terrorism Act.
Sabharatnam Sivayoganathan has been targeted in the past by intelligence officials and court orders linked to his human rights work. In April and May 2022, intelligence officers visited Sabharatnam Sivayoganathan’s office in Batticaloa and questioned him about his human rights work. In September 2021, the Batticaloa Magistrate’s court issued a court order preventing him from attending a memorial event. Front Line Defendersissued an appeal calling for an end to harassment and intimidation of the human rights defender, when he was summoned for questioning regarding his work by police and intelligence officers in August, July and May 2021.
Front Line Defenders is concerned by the use of the Counter-Terrorism division to target or question the human rights defender. It believes that the summons are part of a pattern of reprisals including arrests, interrogation and harassment of human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, which has a history of using counter terror laws and institutions against human rights activists, especially against Tamil and Muslim human rights defenders.
Front Line Defenders condemns the continued harassment of Sabharatnam Sivayoganathan and the use of anti-terror divisions of the Sri Lanka police to question and target the human rights defender. It calls on Sri Lankan authorities to cease the on-going harassment and to create an environment where all human rights defenders can work in safety and dignity.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline
- HRD
- Community-based HRD, NGO staff
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Oct 21, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Aug 10, 2022
- Event Description
On 10 August 2022, intelligence officers visited human rights defender Sasikaran Punniyamoorthy’s residence in Batticalao and asked information about his whereabouts to his wife. In May 2022, Sasikaran Punniyamoorthy was targeted and harassed online. Photos of his family members, including his children, were posted on Facebook with the aim to tarnish his image and credibility as a journalist. As a response, the human rights defender wrote to the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Batticaloa requesting them to take adequate action against the online harassment and attacks.
Sasikaran Punniyamoorthy is a human rights defender and a freelance regional journalist based in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. He is the treasurer of the Batti Press Club and worked as the Batticalao district coordinator for the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO), a national organisation working for the welfare of fisher folks. He has been actively reporting on social, political and environmental injustices in the Eastern province. He has been supporting issues concerning human rights, environmental rights and has written several news articles to Tamil news papers and websites. Due to his legitimate human rights activism and journalism, he has been targeted by the Batticaloa police, summoned for interrogation, and received several court orders restricting his right to protest.
On 26 October 2021, the Batticaloa police visited Sasikaran’s house to question him about his human rights activities. On 27 September 2021, a State Minister shouted at Sasikaran Punniyamoorthy when he raised a question related to an ex-minister who was allegedly involved in mistreating Tamil prisoners during a press conference in Batticaloa. On 14 September 2021, he was interrogated on his connection to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil, Eelam, as well as diaspora news agencies, by officers at the Special Crime Branch in Batticaloa for more than an hour. During the interrogation he was asked about his family background, occupation and financial sources.
In January 2020, several leaflets with death threats to seven Tamil journalists located in the Batticaloa district, including Sasikaran Punniyamoorthy, were placed at the office of the Batticaloa Press Club. The journalists suspect that these threatening leaflets have been put underneath the door. Translation of the text printed on the leaflets read as “Be aware! Be aware!! These are the Reporters who received money from the Tigers abroad and working against the government. Soon give them death sentence!”. The photo on the leaflets were from an event that journalists in Batticaloa organised on 9 January 2020 to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the killing of Colombo-based journalist and editor Lasantha Wickramathunga.
Sri Lanka has a history of targeting and attacks of peaceful human rights defenders and journalists for their human rights work and advocacy. Those working in war affected areas in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country and from religious and/or ethnic minorities are especially vulnerable to threats, intimidation and legal reprisals. Front Line Defenders has repeatedly called for an end to reprisals and for the protection of human rights defenders and journalists in Sri Lanka.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man, Woman
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats, Surveillance
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Offline, Right to healthy and safe environment
- HRD
- Family of HRD, Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 18, 2022
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Initial Date
- Sep 3, 2022
- Event Description
n the latest case of judicial harassment of Tamil journalists in Sri Lanka, two reporters are to be interrogated on suspicion of “terrorism” in the next few days. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the constant attempts to intimidate Tamil media personnel and calls for an end to the use of illegal and abusive methods that dangerously undermine press freedom.
“The constant harassment of Tamil journalists is unacceptable and constitutes a major encroachment on press freedom,” RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk said. “We call on Sri Lanka’s new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to undertake to put a stop to the arbitrary use of ‘terrorism’ accusations. The security forces must stop hounding any journalist who, directly or indirectly, broaches the Tamil issue.”
Repeated summonses
In the latest example of “terrorism” charges being used at will, two journalists based in the eastern city of Batticaloa, Balasingham Krishnakumar and Selvakumar Nilanthan, have been ordered to report to the headquarters of the Counter-Terrorism Investigation Division (CTID) in the capital, Colombo, on 14 September for questioning about their alleged support for the former Tamil armed separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Both Krishnakumar and Nilanthan are active press freedom defenders in Batticaloa and both are Tamils – members of a mainly Hindu ethnic minority in a country dominated by mainly Buddhist Sinhalese. The authorities accuse them of trying to revive the conflict between these two ethnic communities that led to a civil war from 1983 to 2009.
Forced to surrender access to his bank account
Nilanthan, who works for the Tamil Guardian newspaper, is one of those Tamil journalists who are used to getting judicial summonses and he has been questioned by the CTID on several occasions in the past. He was last interrogated after covering the anti-government protests taking place throughout the country in February, when he was accused of “inciting separatism on social media” and “attempting to revive the LTTE.”
In July 2021, he was interrogated for more than three hours by the police in Batticaloa, who made him give them access to not only his Facebook and WhatsApp accounts but also his email and bank accounts.
His outspoken reporting style and the subjects he covers are clearly not to the liking of the government in Colombo. In November 2020, the police questioned him about his coverage of military support for Sinhalese settlements on land used by Tamil cattle farmers. And a few months before that, the CTID brought charges against him in connection his coverage of alleged local government corruption in Chenkalady, a town near Batticaloa.
Jailed for a Facebook post
Tamil journalists are harassed by the authorities above all for covering the fact that, although the civil war ended in a crushing defeat for the Tamil Tigers, discrimination and violence against the Tamil minority has continued in Sri Lanka.
The victims have also included Murugupillai Kokulathasan, a journalist who was jailed for 15 months, from November 2020 to March 2022, over a Facebook post about an event commemorating the victims of the civil war. The authorities charged him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act with allegedly posting photos of LTTE fighters.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of expression Online
- HRD
- Media Worker
- Perpetrator-State
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Date added
- Sep 11, 2022