Category: News

The Torture Journal is a distinguished publication that delves into the multifaceted field of survivor engagement and rehabilitation in the context of torture survivors. This latest issue serves as a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, featuring a collection of insightful contributions from experts, practitioners, and individuals directly impacted by torture and ill-treatment. Opening with an editorial by Pau Pérez-Sales, the journal sets the stage by tracing the historical roots of survivor engagement, particularly in regions of the Global South. The ensuing special section on Survivor Engagement in the Rehabilitation…

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By  Basil Fernando. On the larger questions raised by the arrest of Tharindu Uduwaragedera, a young journalist of very wide reputation. Tharindu Uduwaragedera who was attending a meeting on Friday (28 July) for the purpose of reporting on the meeting was forcibly dragged out of a three-wheeler, grabbed by his hair and roughly manhandled by a group of Police officers despite the journalist loudly explaining that he was merely present to report on the protest meeting that was taking place. In fact, he was seated in a three-wheeler, from where he was dragged…

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The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka will launch an investigation into the assault and arrest of Executive Committee Member of the Young Journalists’ Association Tharindu Uduwaragedara. In a statement, the HRCSL says that the Rapid Response Team of the Commission visited the Borella Police station and inquired about the condition of Tharindu Uduwaragedara. The HRCSL will call for reports from the relevant parties alleged to have been connected to the incident, and summon all the concerned individuals for an inquiry. Executive Committee Member of the Young Journalists’ Association Tharindu…

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By Basil Fernando The draft Bill entitled ‘Contempt of Court, Tribunal or Institutions’, has been included in the parliament’s order paper and the issue of the constitutionality of this Bill will now be subjected to debate. There are several key questions arising from this draft Bill. These are:- Does this proposed law amounts to repeal or amendment of the constitution?  This question arises because of Article 105(3) of the constitution which has already provisions for dealing with the contempt of court. The relevant portion is as follows: “The Supreme Court…

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By Philip Dissanayake   “We were waiting near the Ganegama Cooperative shop together with a few others to go to a funeral ceremony. A group of people who came in a cab belonging to Kirindiwela police checked the people who were at that place. After some time, we saw a person got out of the cab. I well recognized that person was David. David got out of the cab and was seen walking a little further. Then a police officer who was there bludgeoned David’s backbone and lower back with…

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The Supreme Court decided on July 19, 2022, to dismiss the fundamental rights petition filed by Mr. Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director of the Right to Life Human Rights Center, and Mr. Prasanga Fernando of the same organization against Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, other responsible police chiefs, the Minister of Public Security, and the Attorney General, without hearing. The petition was, in connection with the attacks that took place near the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s official residence on May 9, 2022, and the subsequent…

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  By Philip Dissanayake A young man named Dinesh Madhusankha Liyanage, a resident of the Yagirala Ittepana, works at the Agrarian Service Centre in Ittepana. On November 30, 2022, while he was on his way to work, a group of police officers of Ittepana police station took him to a deserted area in a three-wheeler, stripped him of his clothes, rubbed demon chillies all over his body including eyes, and questioned him about a theft. All this was done in connection with a theft at a tea leaf collection centre.…

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In a recent incident, the Wattala Police have taken into custody a police sergeant who was involved in an alarming act of misconduct. The officer allegedly handcuffed and forcibly dragged a woman along the busy Wattala main road on the 16th of July. According to reports, the altercation leading to this unfortunate incident stemmed from a dispute related to a transaction. Shockingly, it has come to light that the police sergeant resorted to physical assault against the woman during the course of this disagreement. The incident came to the attention…

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  In the face of a devastating catastrophe, Sri Lanka relies heavily on its women working in the Middle East as vital contributors to the country’s foreign exchange, with their remittances bolstering the struggling economy. However, the dreams of a better life for their families often transform into nightmares as many of these women find themselves trapped in circumstances resembling modern-day slavery. One such harrowing tale emerges from Lindula in the Nuwara Eliya District, where Veeran Sivaranjanee, a courageous woman, suffered unimaginable torment at the hands of her employers in…

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In a recent development, the Court of Appeal has granted bail to an individual who had been in remand for one and a half years. The decision was based on the argument that keeping a suspect in remand without filing charges would cause significant prejudice to the individual and their family. The seriousness of the alleged crime was deemed insufficient grounds to deny bail, and the court emphasized the importance of considering the presumption of innocence. The Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the resident of Mattakkuliya, Colombo, who…

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