News

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed grave concern following the death of a 29-year-old father of two while in police custody in Homagama.

The legal body called for an immediate and transparent investigation after Ishara Harshakumara died shortly after his arrest on 25 October.

Police officials claimed that the suspect suffered a sudden illness during an operation and died after being admitted to hospital.

However, family members who visited the police station reported seeing physical injuries on his body, alleging that he had suffered a severe assault.

The Bar Association emphasised that the state maintains a strict legal duty to protect the life and bodily integrity of every person held in custody.

It noted that the Sri Lankan constitution prohibits the deprivation of life without an order from a competent court.

Local magistrate proceedings have commenced, with an assistant superintendent of police directing a preliminary inquiry and ordering a full post-mortem examination.

The legal organisation urged the Inspector General of Police to preserve all relevant evidence and ensure that the investigation proceeds without any official interference.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court a short while ago today (October 28).

Further details regarding his visit to the court have not yet been reported.

Human rights group Amnesty International has urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately withdraw proposed legislation aimed at tackling organised crime, saying that the bill confers sweeping powers that severely erode fundamental rights and fair trial guarantees.

The global watchdog voiced its objections following the tabling of the Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill in Parliament in Colombo on 6 October.

Under the proposed legal framework, individuals suspected of belonging to an organised criminal group could face up to one year of detention before charges are filed, alongside a further year in pre-trial detention.

Law enforcement officers would receive expanded authority to conduct searches without securing judicial warrants, while also gaining access to personal data from telecommunications and digital providers without court oversight.

The draft law further permits police officers to admit certain confessions as trial evidence and places restrictions on media coverage of legal proceedings.

Amnesty International South Asia Director Smriti Singh said that the legislation incorporates several of the most restrictive elements of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, threatening to entrench official impunity and revive conditions that enable arbitrary detention and torture.

She urged the government to scrap the proposed measure entirely and engage in public consultations to establish anti-crime strategies that adhere to international human rights standards.

The rights organisation also highlighted subjective provisions that allow courts to judge group membership based on visual identifiers such as clothing, tattoos, hand signals, language, past behavior, and personal associations.

It warned that using such broad criteria creates significant risks of discriminatory profiling while replacing objective evidence with mere suspicion in judicial proceedings.

Within the text of the bill, an organised criminal group is defined as a structured entity of three or more individuals acting together over a period to secure financial or material advantages.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has demanded an immediate, independent inquiry into the death of a 29 year old father of two while in police custody at Homagama.

The deceased, identified as Ishara Harshakumara from Kiriwaththuduwa, died following his arrest by Homagama Police during a narcotics investigation.

Family members who visited the suspect at the station on 25 October reported seeing visible physical injuries, alleging that he was subjected to a severe beating by officers.

Police officials provided a contrasting version of events, claiming the suspect suffered a sudden medical emergency during an operational raid and subsequently died at the hospital.

The BASL highlighted the stark contradiction between the official police account and the allegations made by the family.

Emphasizing that the state holds a mandatory duty to safeguard the physical well-being of all detainees, the association warned that any instances of custodial violence must be rigorously prosecuted under the law.

The Homagama Magistrate’s Court has ordered a comprehensive post-mortem examination, while an initial internal inquiry has begun under the direction of an Assistant Superintendent of Police.

Legal representatives called on the Inspector General of Police to secure all physical and forensic evidence to guarantee that investigations proceed without institutional interference.

The BASL pledged to monitor the legal proceedings closely and pursue further action if state authorities fail to deliver a credible probe into the custodial death.

Sri Lanka’s government is facing internal divisions over a no-confidence motion against Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, according to claims made by the parliamentary opposition today.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP S. M. Marikkar told reporters that a faction of lawmakers within the governing National People’s Power alliance is actively refusing to support the Speaker in the legislature.

He said that the government is attempting to delay a parliamentary debate on the motion while pressuring the opposition to soften its terms, a demand he confirmed the opposition will firmly reject.

The internal dispute comes as opposition parties step up pressure on the government over legislative procedures and parliamentary oversight.

By attempting to avoid a direct vote on the floor of the House, the government is seeking to buy time and maintain unity within its parliamentary ranks.

However, opposition figures insist they will not alter or dilute the text of the motion, setting up a sharp confrontation in Parliament when the matter is formally taken up for debate.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for urgent state action to halt elephant killings following the death of the prominent tusker Kavantissa.

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change in Colombo, the opposition leader declared that the loss of the tusker must mark an end to the country's ongoing human-elephant conflict.

Premadasa urged authorities to treat Kawanthissa’s death as a deliberate killing rather than an isolated accident.

He said that elephants and tuskers form an integral part of Sri Lanka's national and cultural heritage and must be safeguarded under a dedicated protection scheme.

To address systemic failures, the opposition leader proposed a national land-use plan, a people-centred environmental protection framework, and a specialized conservation strategy tailored specifically to elephants.

He highlighted severe shortages of physical resources and personnel within the Department of Wildlife Conservation, calling for immediate state funding to strengthen field operations.

Expressing concern over the dwindling population of large-tusked elephants, Premadasa called for formal investigations into the trend.

He advocated setting up a dedicated emergency hotline for citizens to report sick or injured tuskers, alongside closer collaboration between state wildlife officials and animal welfare organizations.

To assist medical care, the parliamentary forum offered to supply multi-parameter monitors to veterinarians treating wild elephants.

Premadasa also urged the involvement of civil society groups and grassroots activists to bolster monitoring efforts nationwide.

On broader climate challenges, he recommended launching community-level awareness campaigns across all Grama Niladhari divisions to educate the public on the risks of El Niño and La Niña weather patterns.

The Joint Opposition has accused the government of attempting to militarise civilian law enforcement by granting police powers to the armed forces under new counter-terrorism legislation.

Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo yesterday (27), former Justice Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris warned that the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill places excessive authority in the hands of the Defence Secretary while stripping away fundamental civil liberties.

He said that the draft law threatened to silence democratic political opponents and restrict press freedoms across the country.

Critical analysis of the proposed bill reveals that the military could be authorised to exercise standard police functions even without the declaration of a formal state of emergency.

Under the drafted provisions, the Defence Secretary holds the power to issue initial two-month detention orders without immediate judicial oversight, with scope to extend those detentions further.

Opponents of the legislation argue that the vague definitions within the draft could easily turn regular political campaigning into criminal acts, potentially leaving citizens who distribute political leaflets or protest state projects open to terrorism charges.

Although opposition parties agree that the country’s existing Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1979 requires replacement, critics contend that the new framework merely replaces old abuses with broader administrative powers.

The move comes as part of a legislative push by the National People's Power government, which has already drawn sharp condemnation from human rights monitor Amnesty International over a companion bill targeting organised crime.

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged the government to prioritize finalizing the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement with India before pursuing trade deals with other Asian nations.

Speaking at a virtual economic forum organized by leading Sri Lankan business and professional bodies on Saturday, Wickremesinghe called for the immediate resumption of the suspended bilateral trade pact with New Delhi.

The former leader highlighted India’s trajectory toward becoming the world’s third largest economy, emphasizing its dominant military and maritime presence across the Indian Ocean.

He noted that global power dynamics were shifting beyond the traditional influence of the United States, China, and Russia, making deep engagement with India essential for Sri Lanka.

Reflecting on regional security, Wickremesinghe emphasized that bilateral ties should adhere to the historical principles of the 1987 letters exchanged between Rajiv Gandhi and J.R. Jayewardene, ensuring neither nation undermines the security of the other.

He observed that strategic competition was intensifying as China expands its reach into the Bay of Bengal, turning neighboring states like Myanmar and Bangladesh into focal points of diplomatic influence.

However, he pointed out that both Asian powers share membership in the BRICS bloc, requiring them to establish a mutual understanding on regional development and stability.

Establishing the trade pact with India remains a critical strategic milestone for Sri Lanka’s economic integration and foreign policy balance in a rapidly changing region.

Mohamed Shareef Adam Lebbe, alias ‘Gafoor Mama’, the third accused in the case involving the discovery of explosives and other prohibited materials at a property in Lactowatta, Wanathawilluwa, has been sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The sentence was delivered today (October 28) by a three-judge bench of the Colombo Special High Court after the accused pleaded guilty to five charges brought against him.

The bench, comprising Justices Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, Rashmi Singappuli and Nayomi Wickramasinghe, imposed a 12-year prison term for each charge. However, the sentences are to run concurrently, resulting in a total imprisonment term of 12 years, according to an Ada Derana reporter.

The court also directed that the seven-and-a-half years the accused has already spent in remand custody and under detention orders be deducted from his sentence. Accordingly, he has approximately four-and-a-half years left to serve.

In determining the sentence, the judges considered several factors, including the accused's decision to admit the charges without prolonging the trial, his age of 63 and other special circumstances.

Meanwhile, the sixth accused in the case, Mohamed Rameez Mohamed Sajith, also known as ‘Sajith Moulavi’, has requested additional time to inform the court of his position regarding the charges against him.

The court ordered that the case be taken up again at 8.00 a.m. tomorrow (October 29) to determine his position. The prison superintendent was directed to produce him before the court by 7.45 a.m.

The bench also ordered that special security arrangements be made for ‘Gafoor Mama’ when he is produced before the High Courts in Kegalle and Batticaloa, where two other cases against him are pending.

The Attorney General had filed charges against six accused under 13 counts in connection with the case. According to submissions made before the court, five of the accused have now pleaded guilty to the relevant charges and received sentences.

The sixth accused is expected to appear before the court tomorrow to inform the bench whether he intends to plead guilty, potentially allowing the proceedings against him to be concluded through an expedited process.

Twenty-five Sri Lankan multi-day fishing vessels stranded in waters near India due to adverse weather conditions have received permission to enter Indian waters to ensure the safety of their crews.

The approval was granted following a special request by the Sri Lankan Government to the Indian Government through the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources initiated the request amid deteriorating weather conditions associated with Cyclonic Storm ‘Arnab’ over the Bay of Bengal.

The vessels have been instructed to leave the affected sea areas without delay and proceed to safer locations in accordance with weather advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology.

Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has taken steps to formally notify vessel owners operating in the affected areas of the procedures they must follow under the prevailing conditions.

The ministry has also urged the fishing community across the country to remain alert and closely follow future weather warnings and official advisories to ensure their safety at sea.

The Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force have launched search operations to locate a fishing boat carrying four fishermen that went missing after departing from Kudawella in Matara.

According to the Navy, the vessel left the area on October 21 for fishing activities, and its crew last contacted the boat's owner on October 23.

Contact with the vessel was subsequently lost, prompting the owner to report the incident to the authorities.

Following the complaint, the Navy initiated search operations with assistance from the Sri Lanka Air Force to locate the missing boat and its crew.

Meanwhile, search efforts are also continuing to find another fishing vessel carrying three fishermen that went missing after leaving the Pudumathalan area in Mullaitivu for fishing activities.

The Navy confirmed that operations to locate the second vessel and its crew are ongoing.

Customs officials in Jaffna have refused to release 32 copies of the Tamil novel Thoarai by Piratheep Kunaradnam, who writes as Yatharthan, until the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Government Information approve the books.

The author went to the customs division at the Jaffna Post Office on Thursday, 22 October, to collect copies ordered by readers in Sri Lanka.

The novel is published by Kalachuvadu in Tamil Nadu.

A detention receipt issued by Sri Lanka Customs on 22 October lists the 32 books and gives the pending approvals as the reason for their detention.

It warns that goods not cleared within a month will be dealt with under the Customs Ordinance.

It also says the owner is liable for a storage fee of Rs 50 per parcel for each day the goods are held.

Writing on his website, Yatharthan said customs staff opened the package and searched the book for particular words, including “field bike” and “army man”.

He said a Tamil officer was then called in, and the officials told him the books could be released only with approval from the Ministry of Defence.

He said he told them the novel contained nothing that incited ethnic hatred or promoted armed groups.

He said he offered to wait while they read a few chapters, but the officials declined.

He said they told him two copies would be sent to the Ministry of Defence, which they said rarely responds, and suggested he travel to Colombo to pursue the matter himself.

Yatharthan said he had collected copies of his earlier novel, Nakulaathai, from the same office in 2022 without any difficulty.

He said the government had set out no clear legal framework for what writing it considers a threat to national security.

He also criticised the silence of much of the Tamil and wider Sri Lankan literary community.

He noted that books by the Tamil writers Shobasakthi and Theepachelvan Piratheepan had also been blocked recently, prompting a protest, and had still not been released.

This month the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka ruled that Sri Lanka Customs had violated the fundamental rights of Theepachelvan by holding two of his books for more than six months.

The commission found that state institutions had treated the books with suspicion because they were written in Tamil.

It called for all copies to be released immediately.