Category: News

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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Professor Emeritus Jayadeva Uyangoda warned that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill paves the way to label common citizens and terrorists. Addressing an online forum, he said that in order to implement the IMF program to solve the country’s economic crisis, the government has placed the burden on the poor and vulnerable, working class, and the middle class. “That will lead to a serious social issue in the country. The ruling elite are aware that this will lead to a social issue. They are now preparing for that. One preparatory measure is…

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    – By Ambika Satkunanathan The good The Anti-Terrorism Bill gazetted on 22 March reproduces large parts of the draft counter-terrorism law formulated by the Yahapalana Government. The seeming protections include the affirmation of basic due process rights, i.e. being issued a document notifying arrest, women being searched by women Police officers, access to translations, and being produced before a magistrate every 14 days when detained under a Detention Order (DO). But are these safeguards adequate to protect constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights? Are they enough to prevent the continuation…

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A prisoner who escaped from the Kegalle Remand Prison was shot by a prison guard 8th of march morning and died. Prisons Spokesman Chandana Ekanayaka said the inmate, 33-year-old Ajith Kumara, who was a resident of Malsiripura, was shot dead when he had made a daring escape from the Prison. The victim fell on the field near the Municipal Council building, which is adjacent to the prison, and died after being admitted to the Kegalle Hospital by the prison officials. The spokesman said the inmate was sentenced in prison for…

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Lawyer Pulasthi Hevawasam and his Junior lawyer Harini Jayawardena worked to file fundamental rights cases on behalf of 3 out of 8 victims of the shooting incident in Rambukkana on 19th April through the mediation of Right to Life human rights centre and SLCAT collective. The cases has been filed for violating the fundamental rights of Ashen Chamikara, Lalit Deshapriya and Sahan. Also, arrangements have been made to file fundamental rights lawsuits for the remaining 05 victims in the future.

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A conversation with Right to Life Executive Director Philip Dissanayake..! I would like to explore the history of how you, who were with the new socio-political movement, and moved towards non-governmental organizations… In fact, we realized that the project was a failure because of politics. So it was a time when we were thinking about what to do next. There was a big discussion about this among the youth groups in our party. A group thought to go to the overseas. But I had no intention of leaving this country…

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The launch of the 50th edition of Freedom in the World, which has been tracking global trends in political rights and civil liberties annually since 1973. The event will feature researchers presenting key findings from the 2023 report, followed by a panel discussion on the implications of those findings and the state of democracy worldwide on 9th of march 2023. Michael J. Abramowitz, President, Freedom House, Nury Turkel, Chairman of US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Leopoldo López, Venezuelan political leader, pro-democracy activist and Sakharov Prize laureate and Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld,…

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On January 30, 2022, the Ittapana police arrested a young man named Dinesh Madusanka on suspicion of theft. Later, after hearing the facts about the theft, the police beat him brutally. Also, the eyes and body parts of this man are smeared with kochchi ( chilies). Although Dinesh Madhusanka was released by the police the next day as an innocent person, his body was severely damaged due to brutal assaults by the police officers.But Dinesh was unable to walk due to being hit with sticks on his lower legs. watch…

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On October 28, 15-year-old Harshaka Deshan was shot in the head by a Thihagoda police officer, and now Harshaka is disabled. That is, when he and his friends were going in a three-wheeler to collect the peacock feathers needed for the Kavadi dance for Katina Pinkama at Midellawala temple, another three-wheeler came and stopped the vehicle they were traveling in. It was by police officers who were dressed in civilian clothes and uniforms. Then the police officers who came near Harshaka’s three-wheeler and asked him, “Are you a thug?”.Just then,…

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A special police investigation has been launched against the Panadura South HQI and his team after they were caught on camera physically assaulting female protestors and female cops who were on duty yesterday. Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told Daily Mirror that following the incident, a special team headed by an ASP from the Panadura Division had been appointed by the Western Province Senior DIG to probe into the harassment caught on camera. Once the probe is completed further action will be taken, Thalduwa said. The video showing the Panadura…

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