A global civil society alliance has expressed serious concern over Sri Lanka’s clampdown on civic space and urged the government to release those detained arbitrarily and investigate and punish abuses by security forces.
“We urge the government to refrain from deploying violence against protesters and instead respect and protect people’s rights to peaceful protest,” said Josef Benedict, Asia Pacific researcher of CIVICUS, in a statement on April 5.
He called the restrictions on access to the internet and social media platforms and the arrest of Thisara Anuruddha Bandara, a youth activist, for promoting the #GoHomeGota social media campaign against the president “a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression and information guaranteed by the constitution and under international human rights law.”
Benedict urged authorities to drop all charges against Bandara immediately.
“CIVICUS has documented how the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration has led an assault on civic space and fundamental freedoms since the president assumed power more than two years ago,” the statement said.
In March, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet had similarly reported to the Human Rights Council that “the government’s response to criticism has constricted democratic and civic space.”
The protests and escalating economic crisis have led to the resignations of 26 ministers in the current cabinet, leaving only the president and his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the prime minister, to manage affairs.