fundamental rights cases in sri lanka

Supreme Court Finds Rights Violation by Excise Officers, Orders Personal Compensation

Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that the fundamental rights of a restaurant owner in Midigama were violated by seven officers of the Excise Department, ordering them to pay compensation from their personal funds. The judgment, delivered on the 11th, directed the seven officers named as respondents to pay a total of Rs. 525,000 to the petitioner within three months Rs. 75,000 each. The petition was filed by Dinesh Priyadarshana Dodangoda, the owner of a restaurant in the Midigama area. He alleged that between…

Colombo, Sri Lanka — In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of a young man arrested by Payagala Police in 2012 were violated, affirming serious allegations of custodial torture and unlawful detention. The case concerns Levwanduwa Withanage Sameera Sampath, a 24-year-old resident of Katukurundugahalanda, Pothuwila, Payagala, who was arrested on January 27, 2012, while on his way to sell vegetables at the Katukurunda Market. According to the petition filed before the Court (SCFR/127/12), Sameera Sampath was detained for two days and subjected to severe…

February 10 – A 17-year-old boy was killed after police opened fire on a van driving recklessly near Allapiddy Junction in the Kayts Police Division. Police stated that officers had signaled a suspicious van to stop, but the vehicle sped towards Mandativu, ignoring orders. A Kayts police jeep was dispatched to intercept the van. According to authorities, initial warning shots were fired into the air when the van did not stop. When the vehicle continued, police fired at the van to bring it to a halt. The driver, identified as…

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…

The Sri Lanka Collective Against Torture (SLCAT) has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take quick action against police officers found guilty by the Supreme Court of violating fundamental rights. This includes the torture of a child. On World Children’s Day, SLCAT sent a letter calling for the immediate removal of the officers involved in the Supreme Court case SC/FR/87/2023. The Court determined that the former Acting Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Hatharaliyadda Police Station was responsible for the unlawful arrest, torture, and detention of a 16-year-old boy. SLCAT emphasized that…

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,…

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…

A suspect who was in police custody has been shot dead by the police today (26). The deceased has been identified as Lasantha of Hewalunuwila. He is the main suspect in the murder Amila Prasanna Hettihewa alias of Sunshine Sudda who was killed on September 4th at Warakapitiya in Weligama, Matara. The suspect was arrested by the Kalutara Divisional Crime Investigation Unit in the Diyagama area. He later went to show his hidden weapons and was shot dead by police as he tried to flee, police said. According to the police, he…

යක්කලමුල්ල පොලීසිය බීමතින් පුද්ගලයෙකුට පහර දී යකා නටයි!

A man who had gone to a funeral home in Udugama has been assaulted by three drunken police officers at Yakkalamulla police. The victim is Nagoda Gamage Sudath Sanjeewa, a married father of one, residing at Miniranwalakanda, Udugama Central. He works as a scavenger driver. A funeral was held at the house of his friend Chamara Idunil and He had also attended the Mathaka bana chanting held at that house last (22) and had stayed at that house. Sudath had gone to the Mathaka bana chanting that day on his…

Tag: fundamental rights cases in sri lanka

Supreme Court Finds Rights Violation by Excise Officers, Orders Personal Compensation

Supreme Court Rules Torture by Payagala Police Violated Fundamental Rights

17-Year-Old Killed in Police Firing at Van in Kayts

Custodial Death at Kandeketiya Police Station

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

SLCAT Urges President to Dismiss Police Officers Involved in Torture of Minor

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

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

Another victim hit by police bullet!

A drunken police officer assaults a person