Illegal arrest, detention and torture of an autistic child allegedly by some police officers acting under the direction of the OIC of Aluthgama Police Station

The complainant is a 55-year-old single father, and sole caregiver to a son aged 16 years diagnosed as autistic. He works for a small grocery store and earns his wage on a daily basis. He lives alone with his son in a house for rent in Dharga Town. He makes this appeal as the guardian and on behalf of a minor who also is also diagnosed as autistic. Thariq is unable to speak and articulate his needs, and/or describe events with the use of language. On or about 25th of…

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Case of alleged torture, illegal arrest and detention of Liyanage Pasindu Yasantha Perera by some officers of Kalutara District Crime Division

CASE NARRATIVE: On the morning of 18th May 2020, Police officers attached to the Kalutara District Crime Division of the Kalutara Police arrested the complainant. From the time of arrest until the complainant was brought to the Kalutara District Crime Division he was beaten by the police officers. The police officers tied the complainant’s hands together and then wrapped his hands and his whole body with a heavy metal chain. The complainant was then hung by his feet from a top plank of a bunk bed to which a pulley…

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What Is The Value Of The Life Of Sunil Jayawardene?

Sunil Jayawardene was a representative for three-wheele drivers. He who went to make a representation to a finance company on behalf of one of the vehicle owners, whose three-wheeler had been taken by agents of that company. Sunil was assaulted by eight or more people in front of the company and murdered. This story is quite well known and being talked about in the country at the moment. The whole amount related to the dispute in this incident is about Rs 35,000. Due to the situation of the coronavirus and…

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E-Version of the Social Justice Magazine

We are forwarding herewith the e-version of the social justice magazine published by the Centre for Society and Religion – Sri Lanka. Click here to read the full version of the magazine. Social justice magazine is a long-standing regular publication which has covered many issues relating to the improvement of the conditions of the people, particularly the conditions of the poor. The present issue is based on the theme of People Building. This issue is looked at from various angles by the number of writers. These articles will be of interest to…

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Ringing church bells and lighting lamps

Church bells will ring and lights will be lit to remember the 2019 Easter Sunday tragedy. Meanwhile, people have also been putting up a fight against the deadly coronavirus. For some, both events will only have a political meaning, depending on what political loyalties they are committed to. In that way, the meanings of these extremely significant events will be gradually lost and soon they will be forgotten, or buried in the mud of opportunistic politics. However, such events have meanings that transcend mundane interests. Such threatening events have the…

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The Tragic Injury to Pasindu Hirushan

Vice-Chancellor & Chairperson of the Grants Commission University of Sri Jayewardenepura  Sri Lanka Dear Vice-Chancellor & Chairperson of the Grants Commission People are shocked by the following tragic incident. A first-year student of the management faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, PASINDU HIRUSHAN, suffered serious injuries. He has been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for several days. According to reports his condition is quite serious. The details of the incident have not yet been published in detail. But it becomes clear that the incident was a result of an…

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Hewa Maddumage Karunapala and others Vs Jayantha Prema Kumara Siriwardhana and others SC/FR/97/2017

The fundamental rights petition was filed by the parents of the 15-year-old victim, Hewa Maddumage Karunapala and Pallekkamkanamlage Dona Kumuduni against six persons including teacher Jayantha Premakumara Siriwardana and principal M. Leelawathi. The child petitioner was slapped across the face by Mr. Siriwardhana, teacher- in -Charge of discipline and sectional head of Puhulwella College. The action had resulted in the student a ruptured eardrum and permanently losing his hearing ability in the left ear.  Considering the petition, affidavit and written submission of the petitioners and the respondent as well Supreme…

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Second Anniversary of the establishment of the Office on Missing Persons

e establishment of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) on 28th February 2018 with a broad mandate to investigate the fate of the missing and disappeared and protect the rights of their relatives, represented an explicit acknowledgement by the State of its responsibility to establish the truth and ensure justice. It was a milestone in the continuing struggle of the families of the missing and disappeared. Successive commissions of inquiry and committees, appointed by governments comprised of multiple political parties, have concluded that disappearances have been perpetrated by both State…

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How can unscrupulous lawyers manipulate delays in the law?

This article is about the manner in which unscrupulous lawyers could manipulate delays in the law to their personal advantage. This type of behavior is now a permanent feature in Sri Lanka’s legal system. Analysis of the methods used for such manipulation are based on experiences from actual cases. Reflections on the behavior show that, rather than insisting on correcting wrongs litigants have experienced, unscrupulous persons work out a methodology of manipulation for personal economic advantage. In cases of serious crimes, trials which take place in the High Courts. The…

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Gang Rapes, Justice and Civilization in India and Sri Lanka

An incident was reported in December 2019 from India regarding the gang rape of a woman and what happened thereafter. The news of the gang rape stirred up a massive protest from many parts of India. Among those who were involved in the protest were sections of the intelligencia of India such as Professors, doctors, professionals and the like. Also involved in the protest were the journalists. Modern social media networks would also have contributed a great deal to this protest. As a former postgraduate student from Jawaharlal Nehru University…

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