News

  Welisara Magistrate Thusitha Dhammika Uduwavidana expressed surprise yesterday over the Attorney General’s decision to close the case file concerning the deaths of 11 inmates during the 2020 Mahara Prison unrest. The Magistrate raised concerns about the decision during a hearing at the Welisara Magistrate’s Court, noting that the Attorney General had previously assured the […]

A disabled prisoner has been hospitalized following an alleged assault by a prison guard at the Weerawila Open Prison Camp. The prisoner, W.A. Nishan Sanjeewa Hetti Arachchi, a resident of Badalgama, Katukenda, was arrested by the Mattakkuliya Police on October 22, 2024, for possession of 200 milligrams of heroin. On October 23, 2024, the Mattakkuliya

  The “Essential Skills for Young Lawyers” workshop, organized by Right to Life, successfully concluded today ( 2nd November) at Hotel Janaki in Narahenpita. The event, attended by aspiring legal practitioners, featured expert-led sessions focused on the foundations of criminal defense, writ jurisdiction, fundamental rights actions, and the critical role of public interest litigation (PIL)

Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige ordered a five-year suspension of an attorney’s legal license following an investigation prompted by a complaint filed by the judge himself. According to the complaint, the attorney, who had been appointed by the government to represent a defendant in a criminal case before the Colombo High Court, failed to

By Basil Fernando As Sri Lanka commemorates the 30th anniversary of its ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT), the time has come to reflect deeply on both the progress made and the persistent gaps that hinder the full realization of this vital human rights treaty. Though Sri Lanka has shown some legislative advancement

The Attorney General has withdrawn the case concerning the deaths of 11 inmates at Mahara Prison during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a detailed investigation, it was concluded that the Special Task Force (STF) officers acted lawfully to safeguard both officers and inmates. The investigation determined that the officers did not exceed their legal rights to

A media organization has urged the government to enforce court rulings issued against police officers involved in the torture of suspects. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne, the Young Journalists’ Association highlighted the failure to implement multiple Supreme Court and Human Rights Commission rulings over the