Local Elections in Sri Lanka: The Weaponisation of Democracy

Last week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that Sri Lankan local elections, due to be held on 9th March 2023, will be indefinitely delayed, as the Sri Lankan government continues its assault on democratic rights.  These elections, which had already been...

Joint Statement: End Government Crackdown on Peaceful Protesters

We, the undersigned organizations, condemn the Sri Lankan authorities’ violent crackdown and increasing reprisals against peaceful protesters in Sri Lanka. This includes arrests, intimidation and the brutal attack on the protest camp in Colombo on 22 July 2022....

Sri Lanka on the Precipice

Over the weekend, Sri Lanka has been rocked by protests, police violence, curfews, and political turmoil. A lot has happened in a short space of time, and the situation is developing rapidly. Whilst the fallout from the economic crisis and the President’s declaration...

Human Rights in Sri Lanka in 2021

As 2021 comes to an end, we have been looking back over some of the key developments in human rights, justice, and accountability in Sri Lanka over the last year. This has been an extremely challenging year in Sri Lanka, as an increasingly militarised, authoritarian,...

One year on: independent institutions under the 20th Amendment

On 22nd October 2020, the Sri Lankan Parliament passed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution with a two-thirds majority, despite opposition from a wide range of civil society groups and concerns raised by international NGOs and UN experts. One year on, we look at the...