A 46-year-old suspect, who was arrested on two court-issued warrants, has died while in police custody in the Kandeketiya police station , raising fresh concerns about custodial safety and accountability. The deceased has been identified as Navaratne Mudiyanselage Ajantha Pushpakumara, a resident of Meegahakiula. According to reports, Pushpakumara fell ill while being held at the […]
Suspect Dies in Police Custody in Kandeketiya Read More »
The Child Protection Alliance (CPA) has urged the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate steps to pass the Penal Code Amendment Bill – Chapter 19, which seeks to ban corporal punishment of children. In a letter addressed to Hon. Harashana Nanayakka, Minister of Justice and National Integration, the CPA commended the government’s initiative in
International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists – November 2, 2025 Every year, November 2 is observed globally as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. It is a day that calls upon governments and societies to ensure accountability for the threats, harassment, and murders faced by journalists. For Sri
Breaking the Silence: Ending Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists in Sri Lanka Read More »
(To mark the 35th Annual Commemoration of the Disappeared) By Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director, Right to Life Human Rights Centre Sri Lanka has a long history of enforced disappearances. The period from the 1970s until the end of the civil war in 2009 is cited as a time when disappearances were severely reported in the
Enforced Disappearances; A Problem Sri Lanka Seeking Solutions for Five Decades Read More »
Media Release -Act Now 24/10/25 Sri Lanka stands at a moment when political intent, social demand, and institutional opportunity align. The people have given the new government a decisive majority and a clear mandate for change. With a two-thirds majority in Parliament, a largely cooperative opposition, and an expectant population,
Colombo, October 22, 2025 — In a landmark ruling that reinforces the protection of fundamental rights, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has found three officers of the Alawwa Police guilty of violating the constitutional rights of journalist Thilina Rajapaksa through verbal abuse, assault, and unlawful detention. Rajapaksa, an announcer and producer at a private
Colombo, Sri Lanka – 23 October 2025 The Fair Justice Campaign of the Right to Life Human Rights Centre has expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka’s prisons, highlighting severe overcrowding and inhumane conditions that violate the fundamental rights of inmates. According to official data presented by the Commissioner General of
A Stance on the Ongoing Debate Surrounding a Local Tea Commercial The recent controversy ignited by a video advertisement from a prominent Sri Lankan tea company, facing calls for a consumer boycott due to its perceived focus on LGBTIQ issues, underscores a critical intersection between corporate social responsibility (CSR), human rights, and market freedom. As
Human Rights, Corporate Social Responsibility, and the Need for Legal Reform Read More »
A Statement by the Right to Life Human Rights Centre The recent volatile confrontation near the Mount Lavinia Court, involving the alleged assault of a lawyer by a police officer, the alleged verbal abuse of the police by a senior lawyer, the subsequent remand of the officer, and the opposition to mediation by the
Crisis of Trust: Mount Lavinia Incident and the Imperative to Safeguard Human Rights Read More »
Colombo, October 10, 2025 — The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that six officers of the Kottawa Police violated the fundamental rights of Mr. Vithanage Sunil and ordered them to personally pay Rs. 1,000,000 in compensation, holding them directly accountable for the assault. The judgment, delivered by Justice Menaka Wijesundera in case SC
Supreme Court Orders Rs. 1 Million Compensation for Victim of Police Torture Read More »
As the Right to Life Human Rights Center, a leading organization advocating for human rights and democratic space in Sri Lanka, we urge the Government of Sri Lanka to meaningfully implement the stipulations of the latest resolution, A/HRC/60/L.1/Rev.1, adopted at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on October
Colombo, October 3 – Serious allegations have emerged against the Kandana Police for allegedly violating fundamental rights by unlawfully arresting and detaining a man, torturing him. This not only violated the basic rights of the individual and criminal laws, but also ignored the recommendations from the Hon. Supreme Court and the Human Rights Commission of
Kandana Police Accused of Illegal Arrest and Torture Read More »
