Artists, activists and members of the public gathered in Vavuniya on Monday to demand the immediate release of Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeshkumar, who remains detained under Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The demonstration, organised by a collective of Vavuniya-based artists, took place in the town's old bus stand area and drew the participation of political representatives, civil society activists, musicians, performers and local residents.
Participants called for the rapper's unconditional release and condemned the continued use of the PTA against Tamil artists and cultural figures.
The protest commenced at the old bus stand before proceeding in a march towards the Vavuniya Clock Tower junction. Demonstrators later returned to the starting point, where organisers reiterated calls for freedom of expression and an end to the use of anti-terror legislation against artists.
Protesters carried placards bearing slogans including, “If Minister Chandrasekaran says it, it is acceptable; if Sangeethan says it, is it a problem?”, “Handcuffs for artists?” and “Is singing and dancing terrorism?”
Throughout the demonstration, participants raised concerns over what they described as increasing restrictions on artistic and cultural expression in the Tamil homeland.
Organisers argued that Sangeethsan's arrest was not merely a case involving a single musician, but part of a broader pattern of scrutiny and criminalisation directed at Tamil artists, performers and cultural figures.
Sangeethsan, widely known as HipHop Sangee, was arrested earlier this month after Sri Lankan authorities alleged that videos he uploaded to social media promoted the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was subsequently remanded until 17 June under the PTA.
His detention has sparked widespread criticism from lawyers, civil society organisations, artists and Tamil political representatives. President's Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran has announced plans to challenge the detention before Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, while international rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for his release and renewed demands for the repeal of the PTA.
The Vavuniya demonstration is the latest in a growing series of protests across the North-East. Similar demonstrations have been held in Kilinochchi and Valvettithurai, where participants condemned the use of anti-terror legislation against artistic expression and called for the immediate release of the rapper.
The arrest comes amid increasing scrutiny of Tamil cultural activities in the North-East. In recent weeks, occupying Sri Lankan police have questioned musicians, intervened in musical performances and launched investigations into songs associated with Tamil political history, collective memory and homeland identity.
For many demonstrators in Vavuniya, the issue extends beyond the detention of one artist. Protesters argued that the continued use of the PTA against musicians and cultural figures raises broader concerns about freedom of expression, artistic freedom and the ability of Tamils to publicly express their history, identity and political views without fear of arrest.
As the protest concluded, organisers pledged to continue campaigning for Sangeethsan's release and called for the complete repeal of the PTA, a law that has long been criticised by Tamil political parties and human rights organisations as a tool of repression disproportionately used against the Tamil nation.
