News - slcat - Page 16

protect the right to report, protest and speak.

April 3, 2022 editor

STATEMENT ON ARRESTS, DETENTION AND TORTURE OF PERSONS AT THE MIRIHINA PUBLIC PROTEST ON 31st MARCH 2022 The Sri Lanka Collective Against Torture (SLCAT) condemns the arrests, detention and torture of protestors and by-standers at the public protest at Mirihana, Nugegoda on the night of 31st March 2022. These persons had gathered to exercise their basic civic right to highlight the devastating impact of the economic crisis which has led to island wide power outages and a fuel shortage which has impacted essential services and the supplies of food and…

SRI LANKA: Suspend PTA immediately – UN Experts tells GOSL

March 11, 2022 editor

By Basil Fernando The Sri Lankan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) suffered a great setback when its promise to amend the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA) was responded to by the 16 UN special experts calling on the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to suspend the PTA altogether and immediately. The experts said, after the suspension, the Government could suitably enact anti terrorism law which is in keeping with international law. Thus, the usual trick employed by Sri…

contempt of court and legal framework

March 8, 2022March 10, 2022 editor

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is a regional human rights organization. The organization seriously monitored and studied the law on contempt of court and its application in Sri Lanka. The AHRC is deeply concerned about the violation of Sri Lankan Constitution, which is in line with international law, by depriving the accused of the protection of the law. The AHRC pays special attention to the interpretation of international law as well as the Constitution of Sri Lanka by Article 105 (3) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The logic…

Is the Prevention of Terrorism Act Enough to Solve Problems ???

February 14, 2022 editor

Human rights lawyer Armisa Tiegel has issued a statement on the failure to introduce the Prevention of Terrorism Amendment Bill. By Ermiza Tegal The Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 (PTA) is a draconian piece of legislation that is responsible for the extensive erosion of civil liberties of the people of Sri Lanka. Harm has been caused to persons directly affected by its provisions, as well as specific communities who have been targeted by the PTA. Moreover, it has undermined the safeguards of security and liberty of all Sri Lankans.…

Civil society groups have condemned the Foreign Ministry’s response to Ambika

February 7, 2022February 7, 2022 editor

160 civil society activists and 47 organizations issued a statement of solidarity condemning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ response to former commissioner of the Human Rights Commission Ms. Ambika Satkunanthan. Full publication On 27 January 2022 the government of Sri Lanka gazetted the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Bill. We the undersigned express our deep disappointment that the proposed amendments do not address any of the shortcomings in the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) that enable grave human rights violations. We highlight that the PTA has been historically used…

A guidebook for lawyers.

January 29, 2022January 31, 2022 editor

It is important for lawyers dealing with torture complaints to act promptly and efficiently against the backdrop of increasing in police and state torture. To support them, The Right Life Organization has teamed up with Attorney – in – law Ms. Armisa Tigel, the organization has long campaigned against torture, inhuman acts and degrading treatments to develop guidelines for lawyers dealing with torture cases and to launch in collaboration with the human right lawyers association. The key points are addressed by Mr. Saliya Peiris, President’s Councel, and President of the Bar Association of Srilanka and other points were…

An unofficial translation of National Prison Study lunch by SLCAT

January 26, 2022 Editor

During the months of April and September 2018, the former National Human Rights Commission had conducted a study on prisons and inmates in Sri Lanka. This study report provides data on living conditions inside their prisons, sanitation, humanitarian transactions, food, and the needs and rights that an inmate must meet and make recommendations in this regard. It was prepared in English by the Human Rights Commission and translated into Tamil and Sinhala by the Sri Lankan Collective against Torture and launched on January 25 at the Renuka Hotel, Colombo. Former…

TID officers said I’m a terrorist because I didn’t own Buddhist books: Ahnaf Jazeem

January 20, 2022 Editor

Former PTA detainee poet : says they threatened to detain him for 20 years if he did not sign a confession Ahnaf Jazeem, a poet and teacher from the East of Sri Lanka, was arrested in May 2020 under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA). Initially arrested in connection to his Tamil-language poetry anthology, titled Navarasam, which the authorities alleged to be promoting “extremist” ideologies, Jazeem was finally granted bail on 15 December, after over a year in prison. Speaking to the media for…

Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission downgraded by UN body, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions

January 19, 2022 Editor

SLHRC downgraded by UN body, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has been downgraded to B status by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), a United Nations Institute of National Human Rights Organisation. UN General Assembly adopted the guiding principals for NHRCs, known as “Paris Principals ” in 1993. Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the GANHRI was held in June 2021 but the report has been make public recently. This is the second time HRCSL has been downgraded by the GANHRI. First it was in 2007 only under the previous government it was…

Negombo: Nine Police officers remanded

December 17, 2021December 19, 2021 Editor

Nine Police officers of the Negombo Division Police station, including the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Crimes Division, have been remanded until the 27th of December by the Avissawella Magistrate’s Court. According to Lankadeepa, the suspects were arrested by the Eheliyagoda Police after they had engaged in a brawl with area residents while bathing in a river in the Pannila area in Eheliyagoda. The Avissawella Magistrate’s Court has remanded the suspects until an identification parade is conducted. The suspects who have been remanded are the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Crimes Division…