<p>The Sri Lankan president yesterday reiterated his pledge to push ahead with the implementation of the death penalty for those convicted of drug trafficking, despite widespread criticism over the decision.&nbsp;</p> <p>Meeting with law enforcement officials at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, amid the island's ongoing political crisis, Sirisena said "necessary steps should be instantly taken to implement the recently taken decision to enforce the death penalty against the persons who still engaged in drug trafficking activities even after they have been convicted, for the future of the country, the nation and future generation."</p> <p>"Due to the failure of the relevant institutions to submit the required documents related to the persons that the death penalty should be implemented, the decision to implement the death penalty has been delayed and an investigation will be held in this regard in the near future," he further added.&nbsp;</p>

A house in Chunnakam earmarked to be converted into a police station was attacked with a petrol bomb and vandalised yesterday. 

The attack came just hours after a protest was held outside the site by locals protesting against the relocation of Chunnakam police station, which is notorious for torture and human rights violations, to the site. 

The house, situated along KKS road, was being used as a gym. 

<p>The Chennai High Court has summoned an officer from the Foreigners Regional Registration over the deportation of an asylum seeker to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>S Anand was born and raised in India after his family fled Sri Lanka, and went to Australia in 2013. He was returned to India last month where he was detained upon arrival by Indian immigration authorities and deported to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose questioned why Anand was deported to Sri Lanka when he was born in India and his father had fled Sri Lanka in 1987.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena said today the Sri Lankan-Singapore Free Trade Agreement was signed without adequate consent, pointing to the findings of his expert committee.&nbsp;</p> <p>The committee was appointed by the president in August following a Joint Opposition protest against the FTA, who claim it was 'illegal'.&nbsp;</p> <p>Yesterday evening the expert committee presented their report to Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sirisena's comments will do little to reassure investors, already nervous amid the country's ongoing political crisis.&nbsp;</p>

The Sri Lankan army showcased its weaponry to a military delegation from Bangladesh last month, as various militaries from around the world continue to visit Sri Lanka, despite reports of human rights abuses.

Tamil families of the disappeared gathered in Mullaitivu on Monday, where they marked Human Rights Day with a protest demanding justice and accountability.

A demonstration was held in Jaffna against a planned land-grab to relocate a police department notorious for human rights violations.

The protest outside Uduvil district secretariat on Monday condemned attempts to relocate Chunnakam police station to privately-owned land in a residential neighbourhood.

Tamils in Trincomalee protested for the release of all lands under Sri Lankan military occupation, in a demonstration to mark International Human Rights Day today.

Protesters slammed claims from various state sources that 90% of land in the North-East had been returned, asserting that the claims were false.

A local government official in Mullaitivu is facing disciplinary proceedings for using his position to target a former LTTE cadre and another individual.

The official, a village officer (grama sevakar) within the Thunukkai division was accused of abuse of power, acting on personal likes and dislikes, revenge, and irregular use of state funds.

The targeted victims initially lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission Sri Lanka (HRCSL) at its district office in Vavuniya.

The Commission carried out more than two direct investigations and also received copious evidence from the victims.

Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves continued to fall this month as the political crisis in Colombo continues.

Forex reserves reportedly fell by 884.9 million US dollars in November 2018, to 7,018.38 million dollars, though the data does not include forex reserves released through swap agreements to maintain a peg or transactions with the Treasury.

The latest fall comes amidst measures taken by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka including cutting the statutory reserve ratio and injecting an estimated 90 billion rupees of cash at zero interest rate into the banking system.

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