Sri Lanka’s Fort Magistrate, Priyantha Liyanage, has mandated the continued detention of former Sri Lankan Minister, Rishad Bathiudeen who was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for allegedly aiding the Easter Sunday bombers.

Following a record number of daily covid-related deaths on Monday, 111, Sri Lanka’s intelligence officials have blamed protesters for the spread of the virus.

Over the last month, a total of 120 protests were held across Sri Lanka, and it is reported that over 1,500 people attended each of these protests. In this past week, infections rose by 3,000 whilst the number of deaths more than doubled.

Despite increased protests and warnings over food shortages from farmers across Sri Lanka, Lalith Weeratunga, Principal Advisor to Sri Lank's President, maintained last week that the government’s prohibition on chemical fertilizers "remains unchanged.” 

Supermadam Muniyappar Temple and Point Pedro Shiva Temple in Jaffna were sealed yesterday after authorities claimed they were “failing to comply with COVID-19 guidelines.”

After an outdoor festival at Supermadam Muniyappar Temple, a complaint was lodged with health medical officers, stating the temple was not following guidelines. 

A Tamil family’s house burned to ashes in a housefire earlier today in the Kaiveli resettlement area in Mullaitivu.

The young family and their infants had been living in the home since 2018. 

Speaking to the media, Senior DIG Attorney Ajith Rohana admitted that “under no circumstances” would they separate a married couple in cases of domestic abuse.

When questioned if the police would take a different approach if there were continuous complaints, Rohana claimed the police would take action but not in cases of “slight abuse” or “abuse and threats”.

Sri Lankan Public Security Minister, Sarath Weerasekara, has instructed the police to remain calm when dealing with protesters.

The instruction comes as Sri Lanka’s police have arrested several leading student activists who were protesting the controversial KNDU bill as well as 38 teachers who have also been on strike. Weerasekara has claimed that a policeman lost two fingers whilst dealing with protesting teachers.

Sri Lankan police have arrested five student activists including the Convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation Wasantha Mudalige and President of the Jayewardenepura University Students’ Union Amila Sandeepa following protests against the controversial Kotelawala National Defence University (or KDU) Bill.

Responding to concerns raised by the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina Teplitz, CHEC Port City Colombo has decried her statement as “misleading” and maintained that neither itself nor its parent company China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) are listed under United States sanctions.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) drew attention to rising police brutality, custodial and extra-judicial killings in Sri Lanka in a report released on Friday. “Sri Lanka’s police are increasingly killing and abusing people under cover of the Covid-19 pandemic measures and an anti-drug campaign,” it said.