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Executive Summary
Legal and policy reforms:
Sri Lanka’s proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) 2026, intended to replace the controversial PTA, has drawn criticism from civil society groups who argue it largely mirrors the old law instead of reforming it. While the government says the draft includes safeguards—such as judicial oversight, legal access, and forensic checks—critics call for stronger human rights protections and public consultation. In November 2025, a nationwide state of emergency was declared following Cyclone Ditwah, but concerns were raised that the resulting regulations are overly broad and may threaten civil liberties like freedom of speech and movement. The government is also considering constitutional reforms to shift toward a parliamentary system with a non-executive president, subject to public approval via referendum. Legal reforms are underway to strengthen protections against domestic violence and improve child protection laws. Additionally, Sri Lanka plans to implement ILO Convention C190 to combat workplace harassment and improve safety, especially for women. Finally, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka criticized a local mayor for interfering with a lawyer’s duties during an inquiry, stressing the importance of protecting legal professionals’ independence.
Police Brutality and misconduct:
The Supreme Court has ruled that officers from the Thalathuoya Police Station violated the fundamental rights of a lorry driver by assaulting and torturing him after his arrest in April 2019. The incident was reportedly linked to his refusal to continue participating in illegal sand transportation for a police officer. Public outrage has intensified as a video circulated in social media showing the Officer-in-Charge of the Kuliyapitiya Police Crime Division assaulting a man with a stick inside a house. The officer was subsequently transferred pending investigation, a response widely criticized as an administrative measure rather than meaningful accountability. In a related development, the Kuliyapitiya Senior Superintendent of Police has suspended an Inspector, the OIC of the Narammala Crime Division, and a Sub-Inspector for allegedly concealing details of robberies that took place in Narammala town on November 30. Separately, a Sergeant attached to the Colombo Crimes Division has been suspended for maintaining inappropriate contact with a suspect detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in connection with the February 2025 murder of an organized crime figure.
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Prisoner rights: In December 2025, a clash at Boossa High Security Prison left a Superintendent injured. The incident was reportedly linked to the forced relocation of inmates to another section of the prison after CCTV cameras ceased functioning. Separately, media reports revealed an alleged plot to assassinate a death row inmate during his transfer from Boossa High Security Prison to a low-security facility. Prisoners’ rights advocates have urged the government to intervene, warning that such incidents could escalate into unrest. They cautioned that similar tensions in the past have led to prison riots and, in some cases, deadly prison massacres in Sri Lanka.
Accountability: In a letter addressed to the President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has requested that appointments of civil society representatives to the Constitutional Council be made in consultation with civil society and professional organizations, including the BASL.
Meanwhile, British MP Uma Kumaran has called on the UK Foreign Secretary to expand sanctions against Sri Lankan individuals allegedly implicated in war crimes during the civil conflict, citing a lack of accountability and insufficient political will within the current Sri Lankan government to address past atrocities. Responding to sanctions imposed by the UK government on three retired Sri Lankan military commanders and a former LTTE commander, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2025 stated that such unilateral measures do not support, but rather complicate, the country’s ongoing national reconciliation process.
Freedom of expression: Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Public Security has directed police to use emergency regulations to investigate and arrest those accused of spreading defamatory content on social media about the President and government ministers, despite earlier assurances that such powers would be limited to disaster management. He cited “malicious attacks,” particularly by Sri Lankans abroad, and warned that allegedly false or distorted content could lead to action under the Public Security Act and emergency laws. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka raised concerns over inconsistencies with constitutional rights and international standards, while media groups also criticized the move.
Two journalists were called in for questioning over allegedly false reporting. The Editor of Aruna was summoned by the CID over a 19 November 2025 article, with the Editors Guild noting the absence of a complainant and the bypassing of standard correction mechanisms. Separately, journalist Tharindu Jayawardena was summoned by Gampola Police following a complaint linked to his reporting on alleged corruption and environmental damage at the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex.
Police requested the Telecommunication regulatory commission to act against Hiru Media Network over ‘false’ news reporting. Authorities claimed the findings justified regulatory action, while Hiru TV denied the allegations, accusing police of withholding information and undermining the public’s right to know.
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Disappeared persons protests: Families of the forcibly disappeared marked International Human Rights Day on December 10 with protests and press events across the North and East, including Vavuniya, Ampara, and Batticaloa, calling for truth, justice, and international accountability, and urging global pressure on the Sri Lankan government. The Association of Relatives of Enforced Disappeared Persons submitted a letter to the UN Human Rights Council seeking Sri Lanka’s referral to the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, particularly during the final phase of the civil war in 2009.
On the same day, the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court ordered former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to file an affidavit by 6 February 2026 explaining alleged threats to his life after failing to appear in a case on the disappearance of two activists in 2011.
Land Rights:
Tensions have escalated in Thaiyiddy, Kankesanthurai, in Jaffna over protests against the alleged construction of the Tissa Viharaya Buddhist temple with demonstrators demanding the return of lands to original Tamil owners. A Mallakam Magistrate’s Court order barred 29 individuals, including parliamentarians, from protesting, while five protesters arrested on 21 December 2025 were later released on bail.
Residents continue a decades-long effort to reclaim a Hindu cremation site inaccessible since the 1990 military displacement and its designation as a High Security Zone. Appeals stress its cultural and religious importance, and a visiting MP has pledged to raise the issue with authorities.
In a separate case, the Northern Naval Commander stated that Navy-held civilian lands would be released through formal procedures, but no timeline has been provided.
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