Latest News

An Article titled “ Before we lose public confidence”, by Kamal Suneth Perera, Attorney-at-Law, which was published in the Daily News Issue of 6th June 2016, following the conclusion of the 2016, ...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Ms. Pushpakumari Hunukumbura was slapped by the Officer-in-Charge of the Peradeniya Police Station when she refused...

By Basil Fernando The attitude towards murder is one thing on which hardly any progress can be made in Sri Lanka. Murder is regarded as quite normal and not something to worry too much about. This att...

A Written Submission to the 32nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre It seems no progress can be made in Sri Lanka on the attitude to murder. Murder is no...

Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers – Ms. Mónica Pinto following the visit to Sri Lanka from 29th April – 7th May ...

Preliminary observations and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, Mr. Juan E. Mendez following his visit to Sri Lanka fr...

The role of the Attorney General’s Department in terms of upholding the justice system in Sri Lanka, and rule of law is being critically examined from many quarters. The UN Special Rapporteur on the...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about several white van abductions reported in several parts of Sri Lanka during the year 2016. We have observed that se...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Mannikkuge Sumith Dayaratne of Madhuwa, in Katunayake, has been extrajudicially killed by officers attached to ...

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Devatha Pedige Jayathilaka from Karandupana, in the Kegalle District, for no apparent reasons, has been produce...

Dear Friends, According to information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission, Mr. Neil Silva an owner of a hotel in Kandy has been illegally arrested, detained and produced before the Magistra...

The UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment Mr Juan E Mendez, published his preliminary findings on 7th May 2016 following an official visit to ...

Dr. Deepika Udagama Chairman, National Human Rights Commission Head Office,  No. 165 Kynsey Road,  Borella, Colombo 08 Sri Lanka Dear Dr. Deepika Udagama, Request for special action regarding Ms M K...

It has become one of peculiar habits of Sri Lankan parliamentarians to make everything that is pure and beautiful in the architecture of the country’s democracy appear ugly. Last week’s episodes �...

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission received information that police officers attached to the Nawalapitiya Police have illegally arrested and severely tortured Ms. M K Malani, a resident o...

Now, there is a new Attorney General and a new Inspector General of Police. Whatever be the disputes about the manner in which their appointments were made, they are now the operators of two of the mo...

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an interview by Mr. Basil Fernando, Director – Policies & Programmes of the AHRC in Sirasa TV, News 1st, Live on 26th April 2016. ...

The name Kondaya is now a household name, following the tragic Sadewmi case, the abduction, rape and murder of a little girl of around 4 years. Discovery of the dead body led to an uproar not only i...

What would happen in a society where there is no sense that murder is a grave wrong to be prevented by the state and the people? The same thing could be asked about rape, sexual abuse of women, childr...

A group of people at a workshop identified the following as the basic adverse consequences of delays in litigation: • It changes the way litigation is conducted and encourages exchanging favors, as ...