ICCPR Act weaponized against freedom of expression in Sri Lanka
The ICCPR Act was weaponized against freedom of expression in Sri Lanka, Amnesty International said in its Annual Report 2023/24.
The report noted that in January last year, authorities arrested social media commentator Sepal Amarasinghe for comments made on YouTube deemed offensive to Buddhism. He was only released following an unconditional public apology in February.
In May, authorities arrested comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya for comments made during a stand-up comedy show that were allegedly disrespectful of Buddhism. Bruno Divakara, who runs a YouTube channel that published Nathasha Edirisooriya’s performance, was also arrested a few days later. They were both given bail in July; the cases against them remained pending.
In September, the government gazetted a bill to regulate online communication and safety. The OHCHR noted that “many sections of the Bill contain vaguely defined terms and definitions of offences which leave significant room for arbitrary and subjective interpretation and could potentially criminalize nearly all forms of legitimate expression, creating an environment that has a chilling effect on freedom of expression”.
In December, authorities began an operation titled “Yukthiya”, with the stated aim of controlling “the drug menace”. The operation saw hundreds arrested daily.
The report also noted that following large-scale public protests in 2022 that ousted the ruling party elite from power, there were crackdowns on protests throughout 2023, stifling the right to peaceful assembly, including for trade unions, civil society and students’ groups.
Amnesty International found that authorities had approached the judiciary to obtain pre-emptive court orders preventing protests; systematically misused weapons such as tear gas, water cannons and batons; used military to police protests; and applied excessive and unnecessary force as well as surveillance and intimidation.
In February, one protester was killed and dozens injured due to the unlawful use of water cannons and tear gas by police in the capital, Colombo. (Colombo Gazette)
