Sri Lankaās unprecedented economic crisis in 2022 was not just a macroeconomic failure; it was a profound human tragedy that rapidly pushed the national poverty rate to 25%. For decades, the legacy Samurdhi system had served as a fragile safety net, delivering cash transfers to roughly 1.7 million beneficiaries out of a targeted two million. […]
When severe human rights violations such as police torture, harassment, or unlawful detention occur, the critical window for effective legal intervention often closes within hours. Currently, vulnerable and marginalized communities across Sri Lanka face language barriers, complex legal systems, and a profound fear of reprisal that prevent them from safely seeking justice. We are building
Addressing Parliament today, the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Mr. Harshana Nanayakkara, stated that one of the factors contributing to the severe overcrowding in prisons is the amendment introduced in 2022 to the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, along with delays in the Government Analyst’s reports. “Before that amendment, if the net weight
Minister of Justice explains steps taken to reduce prison overcrowding Read More Ā»
āAlthough eradicating drugs from a country is an essential matter, destroying the lives of innocent citizens by imprisoning them on fabricated charges in the name of drug suppression can in no way be condoned. One of the most serious tragedies we see today is the misuse of the law by certain corrupt police officers to
The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment fell on 26 June. Following a resolution presented to the United Nations General Assembly on 12 December 1997, 26 June has been observed as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture since 1998. Since 2004,
On June 26, 2026, human rights defenders, legal experts, and citizens gathered to observe the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The event brought together voices from the Human Rights First Aid Centre (HRFAC) in Anuradhapura, the Anuradhapura District Citizensā Committee, and Right to Life (R2L) to shed light on the urgent need
Media StatementĀ COLOMBO, SRI LANKA ā June 2026 ā The Right to Life Human Rights Centre has formally submitted a comprehensive briefing to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT). The submission exposes entrenched patterns of police torture, the strategic weaponization of restrictive detention laws, and systemic failures within Sri Lanka’s judicial architecture.
The ‘International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict’, declared by the United Nations, is observed worldwide on 19 June every year. The primary objectives of this day are to condemn the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war or a weapon during periods of armed conflict, to deliver justice to
19 June: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict Read More Ā»
Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director, Right to Life Human Rights Centre Incidents of child abuse cannot be considered merely crimes committed by a few individuals. Rather, they represent a severe weakness in the protection system that must be collectively built by the state, the education system, religious institutions, and communities. As a state signatory to the
The Sri Lanka Civil Society FATF Network has released a series of briefing notes examining the relationship between Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and the regulation of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Sri Lanka. The publication highlights the role of FATF as the global body responsible for setting standards to combat money laundering and
Civil Society Groups Raise Concerns Over the Misuse of FATF Standards in Sri Lanka Read More Ā»
09/06/2026 Media StatementĀ Alongside the developments following the arrest of former Military Intelligence Chief Major General Suresh Sallay under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, public discussion regarding the legislation has once again emerged. Mr Suresh Sallay is not the only person to be arrested and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act since the current
The Supreme Court has fixed October 16 for the hearing of a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by the father of a youth who allegedly died while in police custody following his arrest in connection with a shooting incident in Kotahena in March last year. The petition was taken up before a three-judge bench comprising
