Country Profile
There was continued impunity for violations committed during the internal armed conflict, and the government failed to uphold commitments to the UN Human Rights Council around justice and reconciliation. As such, justice stalled and impunity prevailed, including in cases of killings and other...
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Human Rights Defenders and Activists
Sri Lankan student leaders Galwewa Siridhamma Thero and Wasantha Mudalige, have been detained by the Sri Lankan authorities since 18 August 2022. On 21 August, authorities issued a Detention Order under the draconian anti-terror law, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to detain them for 90 days,...
November 8, 2022
Campaigns
Sri Lanka
Unlawful Detention
Mohamed Imaam Mohamed Imran was 20 years old when he was detained, on 9 May 2019, under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Three years after his arrest, the now 23-year-old has still not been charged with an offence, and the state has yet to provide any evidence of him committing an...
May 12, 2022
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Hejaaz Hizbullah, a prominent Sri Lankan lawyer, was arrested on 14 April 2020 and has since been detained on trumped-up charges under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Hejaaz Hizbullah has been targeted for his work, and his advocacy for the rights of Muslim minorities in the...
July 14, 2021
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Migrants
Around 41 Sri Lankan migrant women, who were detained in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for up to 18 months, have been successfully repatriated to Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement the repatriation on 19 May 2021 and Amnesty International also independently verified...
May 28, 2021
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Ahnaf Jazeem, a 26-year-old Sri Lankan poet and teacher, has been detained by the Sri Lankan authorities since 16 May 2020 under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), without charges or any credible evidence being presented to a court. Denied fair trial, due process, and unrestricted...
May 14, 2021
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Detention
At least 41 Sri Lankan women migrant workers have been detained in Saudi Arabia for as long as 18 months. Three women have young children with them, and one woman is known to be in urgent need of medical care. None of the women have been informed of any charges against them, nor have they […]
April 15, 2021
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
COVID-19
Shani Abeysekara, the former director of the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigations Department (CID) tested positive for COVID-19 on 24 November 2020. According to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, he was recently transferred to a remote prisoner treatment centre, reportedly against his wishes...
November 27, 2020
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Detention
Ramzy Razeek, a retired government official and social media commentator, has been detained since 9 April 2020 without charge, or proper access to lawyer. Suffering from several medical complications, his family is worried about his health conditions in the overcrowded and unhygienic prison...
May 20, 2020
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Hejaaz Hizbullah, a prominent Sri Lankan lawyer, was arrested on 14 April 2020 and has since been detained without charge or access to a lawyer. His family believes he has been targeted for his work, including for the rights of Muslim minorities in the country. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has...
April 27, 2020
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Shakthika Sathkumara, an award-winning Sri Lankan writer, was arrested on 1 April 2019 for writing a short story and sharing it on his Facebook profile. While he was released on bail by the High Court on 5 August, after spending four months in prison, the charges against him are still pending and...
September 5, 2019
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Shakthika Sathkumara, an award-winning Sri Lankan writer, was arrested on 1 April 2019, for writing a short story and sharing it on his Facebook profile. The fictional story he shared was about life in Buddhist temple, that allegedly hinted at child sexual abuse. He faces up to 10 years in prison...
July 29, 2019
Campaigns
Asia and the Pacific
Death Penalty
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court, while hearing the petitions to halt executions of death row prisoners, suspended all execution warrants until 29 October, the next date of hearing. This is a huge source of relief, as the 13 prisoners are no longer in imminent danger of being hanged.
July 9, 2019