Colombo, June 18, 2025 – A pivotal press briefing was held today at Hotel Janaki in Colombo, commemorating 30 years since Sri Lanka’s Torture Act came into force. The event drew attention to the critical need for renewed reforms, as speakers condemned the persistent use of torture by state actors and questioned the effectiveness of current legal safeguards.
Human rights activists, legal professionals, and survivors gathered under the theme “30 Years Later: Reassessing the Torture Act and the Road to Reform.” The focus was on evaluating the Act’s enforcement, the ongoing failure to hold perpetrators accountable, and the role of independent commissions in responding to torture complaints.
Among the featured speakers were Mr. Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director of the Right to Life Human Rights Centre, Attorneys-at-Law Dhanushka Silva and Dulan Dasanayake, and Mrs. Amitha Priyanthi, all of whom stressed the urgent need for systemic change. In a powerful segment of the event, survivors of torture courageously shared their personal testimonies, underscoring the human cost of institutional neglect.
Organizers emphasized that despite legislative measures, torture remains a deeply rooted issue, demanding stronger oversight mechanisms, legal reforms, and a political will to end impunity.
The event concluded with a collective call for justice, accountability, and human rights protection, reinforcing the need to move beyond tokenism and toward meaningful structural change in Sri Lanka’s legal and institutional framework.
