Category: News

In a significant development regarding the Rambukkana shooting incident, multiple Fundamental Rights (FR) applications have been filed on behalf of the victims. The cases were brought before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, seeking justice and accountability for the tragic events that unfolded. The FR applications, numbered SC FR 73/2023, SC FR 74/2023, SC FR 75/2023, SC FR 120/2023, and SC FR 121/2023, were filed on behalf of Lalith Devapriya, Sahan Hasitha, Ashen Samaranayaka, Chaminda Rajapaksa & Thilakaratne Bandara, and Buddhika Edirisinghe & Milanga Wickremasuriya, respectively. On May 24, 2023,…

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  According to the sources of the National Police Commission, a complaint has been received that a 31-year-old resident of Rajawella, Kandy, was arrested and taken to the house of a Teldeniya police officer, beaten and sprayed with hot peppers on his genitals. To investigate the complaint, Teldaniya Senior Superintendent of Police PMDUB. The sources also mention that it has been forwarded to Mr. Palihavadana. However, five months have passed since this incident, yet no action has been taken against the police officers. The leg of the person who was…

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Phillip Dissanayake The citizens of Sri Lanka have mixed views about Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) because of the way they are portrayed by the government, politicians, and media. In broader terms, NGOs can be defined as independent organizations that are not directly affiliated with the government. They run without the aim of generating profits, and operate in the fields of humanitarian and social work. However, there is a specific political definition for the term NGOs. Accordingly, NGOs are a part of the civil society. NGOs are a category of civil society…

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Police have commenced an investigation into the death of a female domestic aide of Sudharma Nettikumara, former wife of proprietor of the Salaka Senkada group of companies, and a producer of films and teledramas. Investigators said that the death of the domestic help occurred while she was under the custody of the Welikada police over a complaint lodged by Sudharma that one of her gold rings with some other jewellery had gone missing and that she suspected the servant had stolen it. The deceased has been identified as R. Raja…

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On November 29, 2020, 11 inmates died in an incident at Mahara Prison. More than 100 people including two prison officers were injured. The inhumanity aspect here is that nine out of the 11 dead have been confirmed to be Covid-19 patients. That means, a group of patients have been killed.  It was our observation that the cause of their killing was the result of a struggle for patient rights. As Jagath Weerasinghe, its superintendent, said about Mahara Prison, Mahara Prison is a special prison that holds people who have…

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The Gampaha Human Rights Center reports that a prisoner in the Pallansena rehabilitation camp has fallen from a coconut tree and died. The officers of the rehabilitation center said that this man climbed the coconut tree out of anger with his wife and after he fell from the coconut tree and had an accident, he was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Negombo Hospital. The police officers did not inform his wife about this incident and the police officers told the wife about this when she visited her…

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On April 19, 2022, a civilian was killed in a firing by the police during a public demonstration in Rambukkana. In this regard, the final recommendations of the investigations conducted by the Human Rights Commission has been forwarded to the Inspector General of Police on April 18. HRCSL final recommendations  

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On October 28 2022, 15-year-old Harshaka Deshan was shot in the head by a Thihagoda police officer, and Harshaka is currently in a coma condition. This child has to buy special Milk powders recommended by doctors, pampers and other essentials for nutrition and hygiene. Also, Harshaka has to go to the hospital every month for medical treatment. Therefore, Harshaka’s parents have to spend a lot of money on transportation and buying essentials. Because of this they need support financially. Taking these facts into consideration, Harshak’s parents have taken legal action…

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  A year has passed since the Rambukkana police opened fire on a public demonstration, killing one person and injuring another.But still the law does not seem to be implemented against the police officer who ordered this killing or the lower police officers who carried out this shooting. On April 19, 2022, there was a peaceful protest demanding fuel in Rambukkana town, and the police have not taken any disciplinary action against the then Kegalle in-charge SSP Keerthiratne, who came to the place drunk and ordered the murder. Instead, he…

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The new Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) proposed by the Sri Lankan Government, designed to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979, threatens to further exacerbate restrictions on the right to assembly and gravely curtail freedom of expression and press freedom, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in a statement. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Sri Lankan affiliates, the Sri Lankan Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU), and the Free Media Movement (FMM), in strongly condemning the bill and…

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