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Deadly Unrest at Negombo Prison Highlights Urgent Need for Prison Reforms and Accountability

July 08 – A violent unrest that erupted at the Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6 has resulted in one of the deadliest prison incidents recorded in Sri Lanka, leaving 27 people dead and 104 others injured. According to prison authorities, the unrest initially broke out on July 5 following a confrontation between two groups of inmates, many of whom were reportedly being held in connection with drug-related offences. Thirty-five inmates injured during the initial clash were admitted to hospital, while two inmates died. By the evening, authorities stated…

July 02 – COLOMBO, SRI LANKA The Right to Life (R2L) Human Rights Centre, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Collective Against Torture (SLCAT), hosted a vital stakeholder consultation and policy dialogue at Hotel Ramada, Colombo. Held under the theme “The Urgency of Torture Eradication and Our Collective Responsibility,” the event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss practical, cross-sector solutions to end torture in Sri Lanka. The Persistence of Torture and Misuse of Law Opening the dialogue, Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director of R2L, stressed the necessity of…

Media Statement COLOMBO, SRI LANKA — June 2026 The Right to Life Human Rights Centre has formally submitted a comprehensive briefing to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT). The submission exposes entrenched patterns of police torture, the strategic weaponization of restrictive detention laws, and systemic failures within Sri Lanka’s judicial architecture. Drawing from over 23 years of grassroots advocacy, R2L’s submission details how state-inflicted violence remains a systemic issue rather than a series of isolated incidents. Key Findings Highlighted in the Submission: Weaponization of Detention Laws: Law enforcement…

June 09 – Media Statement Alongside the developments following the arrest of former Military Intelligence Chief Major General Suresh Sallay under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, public discussion regarding the legislation has once again emerged. Mr Suresh Sallay is not the only person to be arrested and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act since the current government came to power. From the Arugam Bay bomb scare to the putting up of posters against Israel, among various other grounds, the Prevention of Terrorism Act has been implemented without hindrance during…

The Supreme Court has scheduled October 16 to hear a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by the father of a youth who allegedly died while in police custody after being arrested in connection with a shooting incident reported in Kotahena in March 2025. The petition was considered by a three-member bench comprising Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena, Arjuna Obeysekera, and Gihan Kulatunga. The petitioner, identified as the father of Warna Lakmal, claims that his son was among two young men arrested in relation to a shooting incident in the Kotahena area on…

May 25 – The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has granted leave to proceed in a Fundamental Rights application (SCFR No. 28/2025) filed by Mr. Dinesh Madhusanka Liyanage of Yagirala, Neluwa Mahagedarawatta, alleging unlawful arrest, illegal detention, and torture by officers attached to the Ittapana Police Station. The petition was taken up on 25 May 2026 before a three-judge bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Arjuna Obeyesekere, and Dr. Sobitha Rajakaruna. Mr. Liyanage was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Ms. Ermiza Tegal and Ms. Nisara Wickramasinghe, acting under the instructions of Attorney-at-Law…

Torture is a terrible crime. It leaves both physical scars and deep mental wounds. For victims trying to get justice, the biggest challenge is often just proving that the abuse actually happened. At the Right to Life Human Rights Centre (R2L), we see this problem every day in our fight against police brutality. When the abusers are the ones in power, it is very easy for them to hide the truth. This is exactly where the Istanbul Protocol becomes a powerful tool for human rights defenders. What is the Istanbul…

Colombo, November 3 – The death of a 46-year-old man while in the custody of the Kandeketiya Police has triggered renewed concerns over the safety of detainees and the persistent lack of accountability within Sri Lanka’s law enforcement system. The deceased has been identified as Navaratne Mudiyanselage Ajantha Pushpakumara, a resident of Meegahakiula. According to official reports, Mr. Pushpakumara was arrested on court-issued warrants. He reportedly fell ill while detained at the Kandeketiya Police Station and was subsequently admitted to the Kandeketiya Divisional Hospital. His condition necessitated a transfer to…

Colombo, October 22, 2025 — The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that three officers of the Alawwa Police violated the constitutional rights of journalist Thilina Rajapaksa, ordering them to personally pay a total of Rs. 75,000 in compensation. Rajapaksa, an announcer and producer at a private radio channel, was stopped by police on March 1, 2021, while riding his motorcycle from Polgahawela to Colombo. Police Sergeants Ravindra Kumara and B.M.S.S. Wijaya Bandara were accused of crossing the white line on the road. When Rajapaksa challenged their actions, the…

Chandradasa Ranasinghe, a young law student and activist from Weerapane, Opatha, Matara, remains one of the many who disappeared during the turbulent period of 1989 in Sri Lanka. At the time of his disappearance, he was just 23 years old and in his first year of studies at the Open University. Ranasinghe was not only a student but also a committed political activist. In 1988, he contested the first Provincial Council election from the Matara District for the Southern Provincial Council under the banner of the United Socialist Party…

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Deadly Unrest at Negombo Prison Highlights Urgent Need for Prison Reforms and Accountability

Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Highlights Urgent Need for Collective Action to Eradicate Torture in Sri Lanka

Right to Life Human Rights Centre Brings Urgent Concerns on Police Torture and Systemic Justice Failures to UN Subcommittee

Repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Which Permits Torture and Repression, and Subverts Justice

Supreme Court to Hear FR Petition Over Death of Youth in Police Custody

Supreme Court Grants Leave to Proceed in Fundamental Rights Case Alleging Torture and Unlawful Detention

Unveiling the Truth: How the Istanbul Protocol Helps Us Fight Against Torture

Custodial Death at Kandeketiya Police Station

Supreme Court Orders Three Police Officers to Personally Pay Rs. 75,000 for Violating Journalist’s Rights

There was a time when even the act of searching for information about the missing led to further disappearances – Philip Dissanayake