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The Torture Journal is a distinguished publication that delves into the multifaceted field of survivor engagement and rehabilitation in the context of torture survivors. This latest issue serves as a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, featuring a collection of insightful contributions from experts, practitioners, and individuals directly impacted by torture and ill-treatment. Opening with […]

By  Basil Fernando. On the larger questions raised by the arrest of Tharindu Uduwaragedera, a young journalist of very wide reputation. Tharindu Uduwaragedera who was attending a meeting on Friday (28 July) for the purpose of reporting on the meeting was forcibly dragged out of a three-wheeler, grabbed by his hair and roughly manhandled by a group of

By Basil Fernando The draft Bill entitled ‘Contempt of Court, Tribunal or Institutions’, has been included in the parliament’s order paper and the issue of the constitutionality of this Bill will now be subjected to debate. There are several key questions arising from this draft Bill. These are:- Does this proposed law amounts to repeal

The media release issued by the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka highlights the significance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India and his meetings with top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of Black July, a tragic event in 1983 marked by

By Philip Dissanayake “We were waiting near the Ganegama Cooperative shop together with a few others to go to a funeral ceremony. A group of people who came in a cab belonging to Kirindiwela police checked the people who were at that place. After some time, we saw a person got out of the cab.

The Supreme Court decided on July 19, 2022, to dismiss the fundamental rights petition filed by Mr. Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director of the Right to Life Human Rights Center, and Mr. Prasanga Fernando of the same organization against Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, other responsible police chiefs, the Minister of Public

  – Right to Life Human Rights Center According to the website of the Welfare Benefits Board, Sri Lanka currently has 31 proposed welfare benefit schemes. Among them, five are targeted in the present welfare benefits scheme. They are, Samurdhi, Elderly Assistance, Kidney Disease Scheme, Disability Assistance Scheme, and Public Assistance. A recent nationally representative

  By Philip Dissanayake A young man named Dinesh Madhusankha Liyanage, a resident of the Yagirala Ittepana, works at the Agrarian Service Centre in Ittepana. On November 30, 2022, while he was on his way to work, a group of police officers of Ittepana police station took him to a deserted area in a three-wheeler,

In June 2023, Sri Lanka witnessed a shocking increase in child abuse incidents, highlighting the urgent need for collective action to protect vulnerable children. According to reports, a total of 78 incidents were documented, affecting a heartbreaking 80 child victims. Among them, 58% were female and 37% were male, with sexual abuse accounting for 35%

In the face of a devastating catastrophe, Sri Lanka relies heavily on its women working in the Middle East as vital contributors to the country’s foreign exchange, with their remittances bolstering the struggling economy. However, the dreams of a better life for their families often transform into nightmares as many of these women find themselves

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe recently disclosed a distressing truth regarding the backlog of cases in Magistrates’ courts throughout Sri Lanka. Shockingly, nearly one-third of these cases involve child abuse and rape, tarnishing the nation’s reputation and necessitating immediate action. Out of the 29,723 pending lawsuits, an alarming 5,550 cases are related to child abuse, while