On 22 August, the Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission and President's postponement of local government elections, initially scheduled for March 2023, violated voters' fundamental rights. The Court ordered an immediate rescheduling after the upcoming presidential vote on 21 September. The Local Government Elections were initially postponed from 9 March to April before being postponed indefinitely, with the government citing a lack of funds due to the economic crisis. The Election Commission responded to the ruling, stating it will schedule the local election as soon as possible.  

Sources: International IDEA, Daily FT, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Supreme Court Sri Lanka, The Morning 

On 24 July, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court (SC) issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Thennakoon, who took office in December 2023, from serving as Inspector General of the Sri Lanka Police (IGP) until nine fundamental rights petitions against him are resolved. The petitioners, including the Center for Policy Alternatives and the Young Journalists Association, argued that Thennakoon’s February appointment by the President was unconstitutional and that Thennakoon was unsuitable for the role given a prior SC determination linking Thennakoon to torture and other acts of wrongdoing. The SC suggested an acting IGP appointment be made, but the government has yet to comply, arguing that the Court lacks the authority to challenge presidential appointments. Legal experts condemned this stance as undermining the rule of law. The hearings against Tennekoon have been set for 11 November, and it remains to be seen when an acting IGP will be named, adding a layer of uncertainty to the conduct of the 21 September election.

Sources:  Daily Financial Times, Economy Next, ANFREL

In June, school authorities and government officials in the City of Trincomalee withheld the exam results of 70 Muslim female students because their head coverings allegedly covered their ears during the exam and thus threatened exam integrity. Human rights experts have raised concerns that this decision risks denying the girls the opportunity for university education, emphasizing that it violates the right to freedom of religion and entrenches discrimination against Muslims. While the exam results were later released, legal experts say the decision to withhold the results in the first place sets a negative precedent. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has launched an inquiry into the case and examination rule to avoid similar delays in future instances.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, The Morning, Daily FT

On 19 June, following the Attorney General's advice, the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court cleared stand-up comedian Natasha Edirisooriya of charges related to a controversial remark about Buddhism during a performance that led to her detention in May 2023. Social media activist Bruno Divakara, who had been arrested for sharing a video of the performance, was also cleared. The AG advised there was insufficient evidence to charge them. Although both had been granted bail in July 2023, they continued to face an inquiry. Human rights experts criticized  the AG’s citing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)’s protection of religious freedom in the indictment as an attempt to suppress free speech. Civil society organizations have called for action against those responsible for her arrest under the pretext of protecting religious harmony.

Sources: International IDEA, Colombo Telegraph, News First LK

On 24 January, Parliament passed the Online Safety Bill (OSB), which seeks to combat false online statements through a commission with extensive powers. These include ordering individuals and internet service providers to remove online content deemed “prohibited statements,” further enabling legal recourse against people who publish such content. Human rights groups, industry experts and civil society organizations have called for the bill to be withdrawn, criticizing its vaguely worded definitions of offences that may be misused to silence critical voices online. Moreover, concerns have also been raised regarding the five-member commission’s lack of independence from the executive. The United Nations Human Rights Office also expressed opposition to the bill in October 2023. Civil society organizations note that the bill was passed in a rushed manner with limited consultations that left numerous of their concerns unaddressed.

Sources: International IDEA, Access Now, OHCHR, Centre for Policy Alternatives, The Diplomat

Sri Lankan authorities have arrested tens of thousands of people in a month-long crackdown on drugs through the “Yukthiya” Operation launched in December 2023. Human rights groups have expressed deep concern over alleged abuses, which include reports of ill-treatment and torture, denial of due process and fair trials, arbitrary arrests, and detention in compulsory military-run rehabilitation centres. The United Nations Human Rights Office has called for Sri Lanka to “immediately suspend and review” the anti-drug operation, noting that “irregularities in the judicial process of sending people to rehabilitation centres should also be investigated.” Public Security Minister Tiran Alles responded, saying the operation will continue and that the human rights body should identify specific instances of abuse.

Sources: OHCHR, Daily Mirror, The Associated Press, Reuters