News – slcat

Balapitiya Court Delivers Verdict After 17 Year Long Torture Case Involving 14 Year Old Schoolboy

Seventeen years after the brutal torture of 14-year-old schoolboy Buddhi Ewantha Gunasekara from Eranawila, Mitiyagoda, the Balapitiya High Court yesterday (11) handed down long-awaited sentences to four accused, including senior police officers and a civil guard. The tragic case dates back to March 7, 2008, when Buddhi, then a Grade 9 student, was arrested on allegations of stealing money from a neighbor’s house. He was taken into custody by Sub-Inspector Saman Palitha Athukorala and Civil Guard Lalith de Zoysa, based on a complaint lodged with the Mitiyagoda Police. Soon after,…

An incident has been reported from Kantale, where the principal of Agrabodhi Vidyalaya allegedly brutally assaulted several Grade 9 students for eating their meals outside the classroom. The incident occurred on July 28. According to reports, a student named Nisel Nekawiru had brought his breakfast to school in a lunch sheet. His class teacher later called his mother, informing her that the principal had objected to this and asked her to come to school. The teacher advised the mother not to send food in a lunch sheet in the future,…

A fisherman from Rekawa East, Tangalle, has accused police officers of assaulting him after he refused to bow down and apologize to a neighbor during a dispute. The victim, identified as Koku Hannedige Prabath Priyantha, a resident of Pokunu Goda, Netolpitiya, Rekawa East, alleges that on August 2, three officers from the Hungama Police Station forcibly entered his home, dragged him outside, and demanded that he apologize to a neighboring woman in public. When he refused, the officers allegedly beat him with a stick, causing injuries to his leg and…

A shocking incident has been reported from Ranajayapura Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura, where a Grade Seven student was allegedly assaulted by the school principal. The victim, identified as D. M. Ravindu Sathsara, was among three students summoned to the principal’s office on June 24 over an issue that had arisen about a school educational trip. Without conducting any inquiry, the principal allegedly assaulted all three students. According to reports, the principal struck Ravindu on the head and near his spinal cord before forcing the students to kneel in the sun…

25-year struggle for justice in the Lasantha Jagath Kumara case reveals systemic failings A public discussion titled “Delays in Sri Lanka’s Justice System and the Functioning of Anti-Torture Mechanisms” was held on July 15, 2015, at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo, drawing attention to longstanding issues within Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system. The event featured several prominent legal professionals, activists, and scholars. One of the key cases highlighted during the event was Sriyani Silva vs. Iddamalgoda, described as a landmark judgment in Sri Lankan legal history, particularly in the recognition of the right to life by the judiciary.…

In a significant show of media recognition, the Daily Mirror has featured a detailed article highlighting the efforts of the Right to Life Human Rights Centre (R2L) in raising awareness on torture in Sri Lanka, coinciding with the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26. The article titled “In support of tortured victims – Realities of torture in Sri Lanka” sheds light on the alarming increase in torture complaints and the lack of effective implementation of Sri Lanka’s anti-torture laws, while placing a spotlight on the…

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has revealed that 79 individuals have died in police custody or in incidents following arrest between 2020 and March 2025, according to complaints received by the Commission. In an inquiry conducted by Anidda newspaper journalist Lasantha Ruhunage, HRCSL Commissioner and Attorney-at-Law Nimal G. Punchihewa confirmed that 49 of the reported deaths occurred directly while in police custody. A further 30 individuals reportedly died in incidents following arrest, such as during alleged attempts to retrieve hidden weapons or in other post-arrest operations involving…

On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Right to Life Human Rights Centre reaffirms its unwavering commitment to stand with survivors of torture, to advocate for justice and accountability, and to push for meaningful structural reforms that prevent future abuses. This day, observed annually on June 26, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1997, marking the date the UN Convention against Torture, Other Cruel Inhuman Degrading Treatment and Punishment came into force in 1987. It is a day to honour the courage and…

Colombo, June 18, 2025 – A pivotal press briefing was held today at Hotel Janaki in Colombo, commemorating 30 years since Sri Lanka’s Torture Act came into force. The event drew attention to the critical need for renewed reforms, as speakers condemned the persistent use of torture by state actors and questioned the effectiveness of current legal safeguards. Human rights activists, legal professionals, and survivors gathered under the theme “30 Years Later: Reassessing the Torture Act and the Road to Reform.” The focus was on evaluating the Act’s enforcement, the…

In a landmark judgment that reinforces the importance of accountability in law enforcement, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered six police officers attached to the Thambuttegama Police to pay Rs. 1.2 million in compensation to a youth who was brutally assaulted during a protest in 2012. The compensation must be paid personally by the officers, marking a rare instance where law enforcement officials have been held individually liable for the violation of fundamental rights. The Court also instructed the Attorney General to examine the possibility of initiating criminal…

Category: News

Balapitiya Court Delivers Verdict After 17 Year Long Torture Case Involving 14 Year Old Schoolboy

Kantale School Principal Accused of Brutally Assaulting Ninth Grade Students

Tangalle Fisherman Assaulted by Police After Refusing to Apologize to Neighbor

Grade Seven Student Brutally Assaulted by Principal in Anuradhapura

Public Dialogue Highlights Delays in Justice and Anti-Torture Mechanisms in Sri Lanka

30 Years of the Torture Act: R2L’s Call for Reform Featured in Daily Mirror

79 Deaths in Police Custody Since 2020: Human Rights Commission Issues Guidelines to Prevent Further Tragedies

Official Statement from the Right to Life Human Rights Centre on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

30 Years Later: Reassessing the Torture Act and the Road to Reform

Supreme Court Orders Thambuttegama Police Officers to Personally Pay Rs. 1.2 Million to Assault Victim