Skip to main content
Menu Menu Close
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Western Asia
Flag

Sri Lanka

Monthly Updates

January 2023

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered former president Maithripala Sirisena and three other senior officials on 12 January to pay millions of rupees in compensation to families of victims of the 2019 Easter bombings. This marks the first time the courts have acknowledged government culpability in failing to prevent attacks that left 279 dead and 500 others injured at three churches and luxury hotels. The judgment cited a "lack of oversight and inaction" by security officials in failing to prevent the attack, despite receiving intelligence suggesting otherwise.

October 2022

Sri Lanka's parliament passed its 22nd constitutional amendment on 21 October aimed at curbing the executive powers of the president - a key demand from protesters following the economic and political crisis.  The amendment re-establishes a constitutional council which recommends appointments to nine independent commissions responsible for overseeing human rights and anti-corruption investigations, among other things. However, critics argue that the council is a mere expansion of the parliamentary council it replaces, with a majority of Council members controlled or influenced by the president.  While a step in the right direction in terms of undoing some of the excesses of the previous amendment, more needs to be done to appropriately de-politicize and apportion governmental powers.  

September 2022

A new regulation introduced on 23 September by President Ranil Wickremesinghe restricts the right to protest in designated "High-Security Zones" under the Official Secrets Act, restricting protests to designated public spaces. Critics allege the measure is unlawful and threatens protesters' fundamental right to the freedom of assembly. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities continue to clamp down on peaceful protests. On 24 September, police dispersed protesters demanding the release of student activists detained under the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act with tear gas and arrested 84 persons. 

August 2022

The Sri Lankan government, led by newly appointed President Ranil Wickremesinghe, continued its crackdown on protesters involved in the movement that led to the former President’s removal in July. The repeated use of State of Emergency measures, which the government extended on 27 July to the 18 August, is said to have empowered troops to arrest and detain suspects for long periods. Three student activists were arrested on 18 August under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), while dozens of top protest leaders continue to be harassed and face arbitrary arrests.

Explore past monthly updates

GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

Chevron

Basic Information

Chevron
Population Tooltip
22 156 000
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena (since 2022)
Head of government party
United National Party
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
5.3%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.44
Head of state
President Ranil Wickremesinghe
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (alternative vote)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
15/11/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
76.96%
Tooltip text

Human Rights Treaties

Chevron
State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
in
Tooltip text

Early Warning System BETA

Chevron
Moderate risk of democratic breakdown Moderate risk of democratic breakdown (BETA)
High risk of democratic backsliding High risk of democratic backsliding (BETA)

Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
0 10