Category: News

At their council session on April 27th, 2024, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka strongly condemned a recent statement made at the Katukurunda STF training camp’s passing out parade, which has garnered significant attention across various media platforms. According to reports, the Minister asserted, ‘Eliminating criminals from the country is not a sin. Don’t be afraid to use the weapon in your hand for the right thing, and we stand by you.‘ Expressing deep concern, the BASL found this statement to be in direct contradiction to the fundamental principles outlined…

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In a landmark ruling, the Anuradhapura High Court on Friday sentenced five police officers to death for their roles in the murder of eight Tamil civilians in the village of Bharathipuram, Kantale, in 1996. High Court Judge Manoj Thalgodapitiya delivered the verdict after a prolonged legal battle that spanned nearly three decades. The convicted officers, who were stationed at the Bharathipuram police post at the time of the incident, included Constable Chandrathna Banadara, Constable Nimal Premasiri Konara, Inspector R.M. Ranaraja Bandara, Sub Inspector Y.L. Somaratne, and Constable Senarath Bandara Medawela.…

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Medawachchiya, April 11 – A disturbing incident has emerged from the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, where a young man underwent surgery to remove his testicles following an alleged assault by police officers. The victim, a 23-year-old resident of the Thulawellia area in Medawachchiya, remains under treatment as questions swirl around the circumstances of his injuries. According to the victim’s account, he was driving a mini-lorry with a companion when they were stopped by police officers at a checkpoint. What followed, as per his testimony to the media, was a harrowing ordeal…

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An investigation has been launched by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) into a deadly exchange of fire that occurred yesterday morning at a police checkpoint in Padukka, involving an SLAF Corporal. Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, the Commander of the Air Force, has ordered a thorough inquiry into the circumstances leading up to the incident. The confrontation led to the death of the Corporal, who was part of the Air Force Rugby pool. He succumbed to his injuries after being taken to the hospital, marking a tragic end to the…

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Tissamaharama, March 30, 2024 – A late-night operation by the Tissamaharama Police to clamp down on an illegal gambling operation turned violent, resulting in the shooting of a 29-year-old man in the Ranminithenna area. The incident has sparked controversy and raised questions about police procedures. According to official reports, on the evening of March 30, a team comprising a sergeant and two constables, not in uniform, of the Tissamaharama Police, was conducting a raid on a house suspected of hosting illegal gambling activities. It is during this operation that HK…

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In a landmark verdict, the Colombo High Court has sentenced two former police officers, a Sub-Inspector, and a Police Constable attached to Peliyagoda Police Station, to death for their involvement in the brutal assault and subsequent death of a 52-year-old suspect while in custody in 2005. The trial, which spanned over 18 years, concluded today as Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe delivered the judgment. The victim, a person suspected of stealing a mobile phone from the residence of a police officer, was unlawfully detained and subjected to severe physical…

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In a joint statement issued by four prominent international rights groups – the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), World Alliance for Nature (WAN), Freedom of Dissent (FOD), and the Center for Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD) – serious reservations were raised regarding the establishment of yet another government commission in Sri Lanka. The Truth, Unity, and Reconciliation Commission, announced by the Sri Lankan government, has sparked controversy as victims of human rights violations express frustration over the lack of accountability in previous inquiries. The statement emphasizes that Sri Lankan…

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In a significant development following the Narammala police shooting incident, the widow of the deceased carpenter, Roshan Kumarasiri, has filed a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court. Seeking compensation of Rs. 200 million from the involved police officers, including Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, the petitioner, Kamani Rupika Priyangani, alleges arbitrary and abusive exercise of power by the law enforcement officials. The tragic incident unfolded as Sub Inspector Gunawardena, on duty in plain clothes, fatally shot Roshan Kumarasiri on his way home from work. In the filed petition, Priyangani recounts…

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The Sri Lanka Collective Against Torture (SLCAT) convened on 13th February to discuss critical issues pertaining to human rights violations, focusing on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Yukthiya anti-drugs operation. SLCAT, established in 2009, comprises 27 organizations collaborating to eliminate torture in Sri Lanka. During the meeting, Philip Dissanayake, a representative of SLCAT, highlighted the organization’s commitment to evaluating the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, particularly in relation to torture, and publishing a comprehensive report this year. The discussion extensively covered concerns about the PTA and…

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