Mullaitivu fishermen have stepped up calls for the release of access roads to fishing waters from Sri Lankan navy and military occupation.

<p>Tamil Nadu’s High Court has ordered Chennai Commissioner of Police to permit Arappor Iyakkam, a non-profit charity, to hold protests in the city of Chennai and near Valluvarkottam June 30.</p> <p>This follows the initial rejection of Iyakkam’s application to protest by the commissioner of police on June 20. The police alleged that a separate protest was occurring on the same day and would cause undue to conflict and disturbance creating a law and order problem.</p>

A disappearances activist in Vavuniya was questioned by Sri Lanka’s terrorism division earlier this month.

The secretary of the Vavuniya Families of the Disappeared association, K Rajkumar was questioned by Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) officials at the site of the Vavuniya protest on June 20.

<p>A Muslim doctor who was falsely accused of sterilising thousands of Sinhalese women in the southern district of Kurunegala, is being detained illegally, a court heard on Friday.</p> <p>The doctor was subjected to a smear campaign by Sinhala newspaper Divaina, which was forced to admit after CID investigation that the allegations had come from one of the district’s top police chiefs.</p>

<p>More countries have condemned Sri Lanka’s move towards implementing the death penalty this week.</p> <p>After reports emerged that the Sri Lankan president had authorised the execution of four drug convicts, the European Union, Canada and France followed the UK in opposing the move.</p>

Tamil families of the disappeared have accused international organisations of working to derail their campaign for justice by trying to convince families to abandon their protests in favour of welfare payments and other buy offs.

<p>Sri Lanka’s implementation of the death penalty will cause the UK to reconsider its engagement on security issues, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said in a statement expressing concern.</p> <p>Reports emerged this week that Sri Lanka’s president had signed the execution warrants of four drug convicts. The reports have drawn international criticism from states and rights groups.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka backed India's candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council yesterday.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a tweet, the India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin wrote: “A&nbsp;unanimous step. Asia-Pacific Group @UN unanimously endorses India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat of the Security Council for 2-year term in 2021/22. Thanks to all 55 members for their support."</p>

Despite international criticism, the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena today signed papers authorising the executions of four convicts. 

The convicts were sentences over drug related offences. 

Speaking to the media, the president said, "I have already signed the papers and they will be carried out soon.”

Responding to the decision, Amnesty International said it was "shocked" and "outraged". 

The Sri Lankan human rights commission (HRCSL) is investigating the harassment of a Tamil journalist by the Sri Lankan navy and police.

A Tamil political prisoner, who was detained for the past 14 years, died last week. 

Muthaiya Sahathevan, 61, was arrested in 2005, accused of being involved in the assassination of the former Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. 

He died following an admission to Colombo National Hospital for health reasons. 

Welcoming the UN High Commissioner's report, the United Kingdom called on Sri Lanka to ensure an "inclusive response" to the Easter Sunday bombings which included respect for religious freedoms. 

Canada’s parliament unanimously passed a motion calling on the United Nations to establish an international and independent investigation into the allegations of genocide committed against Tamils in Sri Lanka.