prison mahara
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Justice Denied: Nine COVID-19 Patients Among the Deceased in Mahara Prison Riot

Inmates’ fight for basic health rights ends in tragedy as calls for justice remain unanswered.

ByEditor

On November 29, 2020, a deadly riot at Mahara Prison claimed the lives of 11 inmates, with over 100 others injured, including prison officers. The most shocking aspect of this tragedy is that nine of the deceased were confirmed to be COVID-19 patients. These individuals, already vulnerable due to the virus, were killed during a…

mahara
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Attorney General Withdraws Case on Mahara Prison Inmate Deaths During COVID-19 Period

ByEditor

The Attorney General has withdrawn the case related to the deaths of 11 inmates at Mahara Prison during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Attorney General, it was concluded following a comprehensive investigation that the police Special Task Force officers had acted lawfully to protect both officers and inmates during the incident….

Call for Implementation of Court Rulings on Police Brutality and Torture
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Call for Implementation of Court Rulings on Police Brutality and Torture

Bydaily reporter

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…

United Nations Human Rights Council Session in Geneva
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Sri Lanka’s New Government Rejects UNHRC Resolution, Reaffirms Domestic Solutions

ByEditor

The newly formed Sri Lankan government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has decisively rejected UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 51/1, which aims to extend the mandate of an external evidence-gathering mechanism on alleged human rights violations. On October 8, the Cabinet, under President Dissanayake, resolved that Sri Lanka will address human rights concerns,…

Colombo book fair attack
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Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne Arrested and Released on Bail

for recording a video of assault at Colombo Book Fair

ByEditor

Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne was arrested and later released on bail following an incident at the Colombo International Book Fair. The incident in question occurred near a sales stall, where a dispute escalated involving a bouncer, hired externally by the organizing entity, and a customer. The bouncer, tasked with preventing book thefts, allegedly verbally abused the…

Vidarshana Kannangara
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Former Jana Aragala Leader Criticizes Controversial Police Appointment Under President Dissanayake

ByEditor

Vidarshana Kannangara, a leader of the *Jana Aragala Vyaparaya* who defected from the movement to support President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the recently held presidential election, has voiced strong dissatisfaction over a recent police appointment. Kannangara, who backed Dissanayake instead of the movement’s candidate Nuwan Bopage in the September 21 presidential election, criticized the appointment…

Election Commission and Voter's rights
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Freedom of Expression, Elections, and the Legality of Suppressing a Writer’s Voice in Sri Lanka

ByEditor

In Sri Lanka, the Election Commission bears the primary responsibility of ensuring that electoral processes are conducted independently, impartially, and fairly. The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes the Election Commission as an independent entity to oversee the organization of Presidential, Parliamentary, Provincial, and Local Government elections in line with the laws enacted by Parliament and…

Freedom of Expression, Elections, and the Legality of Suppressing a Writer’s Voice in Sri Lanka
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Freedom of Expression, Elections, and the Legality of Suppressing a Writer’s Voice in Sri Lanka

Bydaily reporter

In Sri Lanka, the Election Commission bears the primary responsibility of ensuring that electoral processes are conducted independently, impartially, and fairly. The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes the Election Commission as an independent entity to oversee the organization of Presidential, Parliamentary, Provincial, and Local Government elections in line with the laws enacted by Parliament and…

postal-vote
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Voting Rights of around 20,000 Sri Lankans Blocked

ByEditor

In 1931, Sri Lanka earned the right to the universal franchise, a milestone that allowed the nation’s citizens to participate in the electoral process. However, not all Sri Lankans fully enjoy this right even today. Among those excluded are Buddhist nuns, prisoners, and approximately 10% of the immigrant population. Recently, the Committee for Safeguarding Prisoners’…

OHCHR report on Sri Lanka
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Human Rights Commission Releases Comprehensive Report on Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka

ByEditor

In a pivotal move toward accountability and justice, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has released a comprehensive report highlighting the widespread issue of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. This report, titled “Accountability for Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka,” sheds light on the persistent challenge of holding perpetrators accountable while emphasizing the need…