SC Rules Rights of Aragalaya-Era Activist Were Violated

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of social media activist Anuruddha Bandara were violated when he was arrested and detained after strongly criticizing the government during the 2022 public protest movement, widely known as the Aragalaya.

The ruling was delivered in relation to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Bandara, in which he had sought compensation amounting to Rs. 100 million over his arrest and detention.

Among the respondents named in the petition were former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, the Officer-in-Charge of the Modara Police at the relevant time, and several other officials.

Delivering its judgment, the Supreme Court held that former Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and the then Officer-in-Charge of the Modara Police, Inspector Nalin Sriyantha, had violated the petitioner's fundamental rights.