Eleven international rights organisations have jointly called on the Sri Lankan government to "immediately and unconditionally" release prominent Muslim human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah, from his arbitrary 15-month detention under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) legislation. 

Following a damning US State Department report which warned investors of the risks they faced in Sri Lanka, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina B. Teplitz, raised concerns over the legislation covering Colombo’s Port City.

Sri Lanka’s former finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera, warned of a likely fuel shortage in Sri Lanka as the economy continues to grapple with a crisis and fuel debt of 1.2 billion USD, was pushing the island towards becoming a "failed state".

_{Photo credit (Twitter: @PragasGnanam) Read more here.}

Rithish Kirushnaneethan, a four-year-old Tamil boy, died in a house fire in Melbourne’s Southeast last Saturday. 

The Sri Lankan navy deployed dozens of troops in response to a protest against a mass land-grab in the Vadduvakal area.

After efforts were stepped up to permanently seize 617 acres of Tamil-owned land for the ‘Gotabhaya Navy Base’, a process initiated with a gazette in 2017 but was stalled due to heavy local opposition and protest, land surveyors arrived in the area at 7am on Thursday morning.

Valaichenai District court issued an order on Tuesday to extend the remand of 10 Tamil men and women arrested under the widely condemned Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to August 13, according to JDS Lanka. 

Academics across Sri Lanka withdrew from their teaching and administrative responsibilities on Wednesday to protest the government bill intended to “militarize” education.

The Federation of University Teachers Association is campaigning against the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (or KDU) Bill. Its main claim demands “that the government keep military and civilian education separate.”

“The Bill is not just about the university, it is essentially a model of private education, subsidised by the government and run by the military. It is an assault on the country’s public education system,” said Professor Rambukwella. 

^{Sam Tarry - MP for Ilford South} 

Sam Tarry, Labour MP for Ilford South released a video statement commemorating the 'Black July pogrom', highlighting how the pogrom led to a 'brutal war of oppression' being waged by the Sri Lankan government which led to 'many being murdered' by state forces. 

Sri Lanka’s ruling party has blamed the Tamil Tigers for the recent surge in protests and strikes across Sri Lanka despite over a decade passing since the end of the armed conflict.

Basil Rajapaksa, the newly appointed Sri Lankan Minister of Finance and the fourth Rajapaksa brother to enter the Cabinet instructed state officials to refrain from committing corruption and burdening the public despite difficulties amidst the pandemic.

During a meeting with Governors, Provincial Chief and District Secretaries and others, Rajapaksa asked officials to make significant changes to reduce fraud and corruption in all sectors.

The United Kingdom has admitted to failing to carry out an assessment of Sri Lanka’s compliance of human rights in its trade agreements.