Right To Life Human Rights Center
30 October 2026 | Colombo, Sri Lanka The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has outlined nine key recommendations concerning Sri Lanka’s proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism (PSTA) Bill, calling for stronger safeguards to ensure compliance with international human rights standards. In its legal assessment issued in October […]
This reflection is written by Sanjeewa Liyanage, who shared a close friendship with Basil Fernando for nearly four decades and worked closely with him for many years. It also carries the memories, affection and respect of many colleagues who worked with Basil at the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Asian Legal Resource Centre. It
Basil Fernando: A Life Devoted to Justice, Compassion and Human Dignity Read More »
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA | October 26, 2026 — Journalists for Rights has issued a strong media statement today warning that the government’s proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill (PSTA) and the gazetted Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill (POCA) place media freedom, investigative journalism, the right to information, and democratic accountability in Sri Lanka
Capacity-building programmes implemented over the past few months to improve human resources and technical facilities at the Government Analyst’s Department have significantly reduced severe congestion in remand prisons. According to the Ministry of Justice, the department issued 17,506 reports in August and September alone. The majority of these reports relate to cases backlogged since 2025,
The Right to Life Human Rights Centre expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of the late Mr Basil Fernando, a leading human rights defender and lawyer in Asia. We gratefully acknowledge that Mr Basil Fernando was a leader who made an immense contribution towards the establishment and strengthening of the Right to Life Human
Today, 25 September 2026, the Right to Life Human Rights Centre proudly participated in the “Digital Democracy in South Asia: From National Evidence to Regional Action” regional forum in Colombo. Alongside dedicated rights defenders and policymakers, we are uniting to safeguard our digital future, convened by the Digital Democracy Initiative South Asia. Key Highlights of
Stronger Digital Rights Start at the Grassroots! Read More »
September 23, 2026 Media Statement The Right to Life (R2L) Human Rights Centre urgently calls upon the President of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate immediate, high-level executive diplomacy to save the life of Anojan, a young Sri Lankan migrant worker currently facing execution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The
The Right to Life Human Rights Centre successfully convened its Annual HRFAC Coordinators’ Meeting and Annual Evaluation, bringing together coordinators from across the country to collectively review the past year’s progress, experiences, and developments. The meeting served as an important space for reflection and evaluation, providing an opportunity to review key activities carried out during
Annual HRFAC Coordinators’ Meeting & Evaluation Read More »
The government’s proposed NGO law is a heavy-handed piece of legislation. The government’s justification is that regulating NGOs is necessary to comply with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which is an inter-governmental body that among other things aims to address issues of terrorist financing and money laundering. Furtherm that there is
A Better NGO Law Is Still Possible Read More »
We, the undersigned civil society collective, express our profound concern and unequivocally condemn the tragic incidents that occurred at Negombo Prison between 5 and 7 July 2026. These clashes resulted in the loss of at least 31 lives, including 10 prison officers, and left over 100 individuals injured. Moreover, we are deeply alarmed by verified
The release of a draft of the Non-Governmental Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Act, L.D.-O. 6/2026, is praiseworthy. This will allow all who care about democratic values to study the text and assess its implications. The implications are serious. If the draft is made law as is and its provisions are fully implemented, the democratic society
NGO Bill: Slouching toward totalitarianism? – Prof. Rohan Samarajiva Read More »
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed deep concern over the violent incidents that occurred at Negombo Prison on July 5 and 6, describing the tragedy as a serious threat to the rule of law and a reflection of long-standing structural problems within Sri Lanka’s prison system. In a statement issued on July