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SRI LANKA: Aspirations to justice defeated at all level

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the occasion of Human Rights Day In Sri Lanka, what remains widespread in political, social, and cultural life is widespread shameless impunity rela...

SRI LANKA: AG asked to appeal from a Judgement of the Puttalam High Court as the decision amounts to a miscarriage of justice 

[December 8, 2016] On September 2003 a 15 years old boy complained of torture by officers of the Saliyawewa Police Station alleging that officers made him sit on ant hill, for about 20 minutes and th...

SRI LANKA: A few practical suggestions for police reforms

by Basil Fernando “A History of Ceylon Police” by late A.C. Depp, former Inspector General of Police, is a book consisting of three volumes that gives a good insight into the manner in which the ...

SRI LANKA: UN body grills Sri Lanka over torture allegations

Kingsley Karunaratne Delegation says Sri Lankan government has zero tolerance for torture, but critics say police ‘enjoy impunity’ The United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) is i...

SRI LANKA: Estate manager forcibly evicted by police at request of two influential persons

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), received information regarding Mr. Rajapaksha Madagam Gedara Rathnasiri, of Pahurugolla Estate, Udawela, Theldeniya in Kandy District. He was ma...

SRI LANKA: A woman’s complaint against the Magistrate and several police officers in Mahiyanganaya

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received a detailed complaint from Mrs. Herath Mudiyanselage Podi Kumarihami of Poojanagaraya, Mahiyangana, in the Badulla District. Her complaint reveals that th...

SRI LANKA: De Facto State of Emergency?

By Basil Fernando When the high level delegation of Sri Lanka met the UN Committee against Torture (CAT Committee) last week on the 5th Periodic Review, one of the Committee members raised an import...

SRI LANKA : More (Legal) Horrors of Sri Lanka’s Counter-Terror Draft

The weekly Times column, Focus on Rights, titled ‘More (Legal) Horrors of Sri Lanka’s Counter-Terror Draft’ by Kishali Pinto Jayawardena, in the Sunday Times, Sri Lanka, on 06 November 20...

SRI LANKA: Police Shooting of Two Jaffna University Students in Jaffna: Friday Forum Calls for Reflection on Process of Demilitarisation

Media Release ‘Police Shooting of Two Jaffna University Students in Jaffna:Friday Forum Calls for Reflection on Process of Demilitarisation’issued by the Friday Forum, on 10 November 2016, forwar...

SRI LANKA: Mahiyanganaya Police torture youth for his mother’s complaint against illegal police action

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Mr. Sumesh Jeevantha Kumara (17) and his mother, Mrs. Herath Mudiyanselage Podi Kumari (49) residents of 20...

SRI LANKA: CCD arrests, detains and tortures a man at the behest of a wealthy businessman

Dear friends, Mr. Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Sarath Dissanayaka of Piliyandala, Colombo District was illegally arrested, detained and tortured by police officers attached to the Colombo Crime Division ...

SRI LANKA: A 29 weeks pregnant woman tortured by Saliya Wewa Police

Dear friends, Mrs. Hashika Shashi Kanthi of Palugasdamana, Saliya Wewa in Puttalam District, was tortured by four policemen attached to the Saliya Wewa Police Station. At 10 pm on the night of 23 July...

SRI LANKA: An ‘ethical state’ and the division of people into upper and lower castes

By Basil Fernando Gunadasa Amarasekera has recently published a book entitled ‘Sabyathwa RajyakKara’ (Towards an Ethical State). At around the same time, I published a book entitled ‘Dharmas...

SRI LANKA: An innocent man arrested, detained and tortured by Wennappuwa Police

Dear friends, Mahesh Kumara Fernando of Boralessa, Naththandiya, Puttalam District was illegally arrested, detained and tortured by police officers of the Wennappuwa Police Station. On 15th August 201...

SRI LANKA: Abduction denied investigation by Rangala Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Madushanka Liyanage , 23, of 271/D, Kattappuwa Galhinna, Ankumbura, Kandy District has made a complaint to the ...

SRI LANKA: Illegalities and fundamental flaws at the Immigration and Criminal Investigation Departments

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Ms. Thakshila Sumanasiri of No. 92, Vidura Gewatta, Kundasale, Kandy District, has made a formal complaint ...

SRI LANKA: Human rights defender denied an investigation, harassed by Wattegama Police in revenge for helping torture victims

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about Rev. Fr. Nandana Manatunga, parish priest of St. Mary’s Church in Wattegama, Kandy District. Also well known as ...

SRI LANKA: An innocent man arrested, detained and tortured by Ja-Ela Police

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Jayasinghe Arachchige Dilip Pushpakumara (29) of No: 33, Madama Watte, Ekala, Ja-Ela in the Gampaha District wa...

Sri Lanka: An Interview with Basil Fernando on human rights and national reconciliation in Sri Lanka on Rupavahini TV Channel 

The Rupavahini, TV channel’s “Suba Udesanak” ( Good Morning ) programme on 28th October 2016, telecast an interview with Mr Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission where he discusses...

Sri Lanka: An Interview with Basil Fernando on the importance value systems and good governance in Sri Lanka on News First’s Hot Seat Programme 

Mr Faraz Shauketaly, Host of the News First – TV1’s “Hot Seat” programme on 26th October 2016 interviews Mr Basil Fernando, Director of Policy and Programmes of the Asian Human Rights Comm...