Sri Lanka government enacts social media crackdown law, tables new anti-terrorism law
By Sanjaya Jayasekera. Sri Lanka Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last Thursday (01) signed into law the Online Safety Act (No 09 of 2024) (OSA), a piece of legislation long prepared by the ruling class to crack down upon freedom of dissent in the country. The law was approved by the Parliament
ICJ delivers judgement on Jurisdiction and Preliminary Objections in Ukraine v. Russian Federation Case
By Staff Writer. The United Nations International Court of Justice delivered its judgement in the Ukraine v. Russian Federation Case on the matters of jurisdiction and preliminary objections on February 2 in Hague. On February 26, 2022, Ukraine filed in the Court an Application instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation concerning “a dispute
ATB driven by class hate, will be used against working class fighting austerity: Submissions to Court against ATB – Part 03
Our Reporter. This is the Part 03 of the article we commenced posting on Tuesday (30), detailing the submissions made to Supreme Court of Sri Lanka against the Anti-Terrorism Bill, challenged by PTA victim poet Ahnaf Jazeem. Read Part 01. Read Part 02. Testing Constitutionality Jayasekera also submitted to court that the standard
ATB could not be part of a quality democracy: Submissions to Court against ATB – Part 02
Our Reporter. This is the Part 02 of the article we commenced posting on Tuesday (30), detailing the submissions made to Supreme Court of Sri Lanka against the Anti-Terrorism Bill, challenged by PTA victim poet Ahnaf Jazeem. Read Part 01. Read Part 03. Democratic Quality ATB "fails to reach even the minimum threshold
Successive Governments thrived on social misery and rooted terrorism, lawyer tells Sri Lanka Supreme Court: Submissions to Court against ATB – Part 01
Our Reporter This article is in three parts. First Part is published here. Part 02 will be published on Wednesday and the Part 03 on Thursday. The case filed by poet Ahnaf Jazeem, who is a victim of Sri Lanka anti-terror law, against the government's proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB), was taken up
Sri Lanka: UN Special Rapporteurs say proposed social and mass media regulation laws “possibly” limit freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and privacy
By Staff Writer In a communique to the President of Sri Lanka, three Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council have expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed social media regulation law, the Online Safety Bill (OSB) and another media related law, Broadcasting Regulatory Commission Bill (BRC). The communication is
Sri Lanka’s debt trap and the vultures
By Michael Roberts Last week a US district court granted Sri Lanka’s request for a six-month pause on a creditor lawsuit against the country. Hamilton Reserve Bank holds a big chunk of one of Sri Lanka’s now-defaulted bonds and had been suing it for immediate repayment. The court decided that
Sri Lanka Appeal Court affirms its non-interference with the government’s economic and restructuring policies, particularly during financial crisis
Sathosa Employees' compulsory retirement case By Staff Writer The Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka dismissed and refused to issue notice in a case brought by several employees of the "Sathosa" against government compulsory retirement scheme (CRS). The order (in C. A. Writ No. 548/2023) was made on October 03 by
Indian Supreme Court bows down to the far-right, rejects same-sex marriage rights
By Staff Writer The Supreme Court in India today (17) refused to grant legal recognition for queer marriages, in a landmark judgement, denying equal rights to tens of millions of people. A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, ruled that the court could not “be re-drafting
Arundhati Roy and Kashmiri activist targeted by Modi government for criminal prosecution over 2010 remarks
By Kranti Kumara India’s Narendra Modi-led, far-right government is targeting internationally acclaimed author Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir international law professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain for criminal prosecution for remarks that they made at a conference held 13 years ago. This flagrant attack on free speech is part of