By Chitra Weerarathne

The Supreme Court yesterday, released on surety bail, two remand prisoners, who had been held in remand custody, for a period more than double the maximum sentence prescribed for the offence committed by them.

Remand prisoner S. S. Namal Senaratne of Horampella, aged 29 years, was held in remand custody for two and a half years, without being charged, while remand prisoner, R. P. Dharmapala of Pelawatte, aged 58 years, was held in remand custody for two years and 11 months.The first was arrested

President Rajapaksa said there was no need for new laws to protect people’s right to information and he was prepared to ensure that everybody had access to any information except what was covered by the Official Secrecy Act and matters related to national security. He would make available information required by journalists if a request was made, he said.

In reply to a remark by an editor that freedom of information was a prerequisite for battling corruption etc, the President said such matters could be referred to the

The Sri Lanka government and the United Nations have launched a pilot project in eastern Sri Lanka to issue death certificates for those missing for a long period.

The ministry of National Languages and Integration together with the UNDP is currently conducting a mobile service in Chenkalady, Batticaloa.

UNDP project officer in charge of the initiative, ARM Sulphi, told BBC Sinhala service that the relatives of those missing for over a year could submit an application at the mobile services that are held until today

Only seven per cent of the family members and relatives of detainees who had come to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) were able to obtain the information they were looking for since most of inquiries had been about detainees in military custody.

Police media spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said about 1,300 family members and relatives had come to TID offices in Vavuniya, Boosa and Colombo while the TID had also received nearly 250 calls about their loved ones in custody.

“Most of the inquiries was in connec

Int’l HR groups stunned by UK film maker’s ignorance

 

Maj. Gen. Amb. Shavendra Silva takes on pro-LTTE HR lobby in New York on Tuesday.

An attempt to drum up support for the controversial ‘Darusman Report’ and documentary ‘Sri Lanka Killing Fields’, produced

The Sri Lanka Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (SLTRC) yesterday denied it had blocked certain websites on June 20.

“We have not taken measures to block any website during the past year except for the Lanka e News website and that was done after a court order. But after the ban was lifted by the court now the site was accessible again,” TRC Director General Anusha Palpita said.  He said the TRC would not block of any website unless it was on a court order.  However, the International Federation o

The Centre for Human Rights (CHR) said yesterday that it was concerned about claims that the websites of Groundviews, Vikalpa and the Transparency International had all been blocked by Sri Lanka Telecom on Monday. 

The Centre stated that the authorities were trying to intimidate the organizations and thereby attempting to stop the flow of information to the public.

“There is a large amount of censorship and self censorship in the main stream media.  Web sites have become an alternative space for publ

The TNA, while asking the government to bring those responsible for Thursday’s attack on the party meeting in Alaveddi to book, reiterated that they were committed to working with the government on matters of urgent concern of their people and to find an acceptable and lasting political solution within a united country.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said in a statement to the House that this incident was a very serious attack on democracy, a flagrant violation of human rights and the freedom to engage in legitimate and democratic po

Civil society groups and media organizations said yesterday the defeat of the Right to Information Bill in parliament had dealt a crippling blow to the freedom of expression, turning it into an empty shell.

Citizens Right and Collective of Media Organizations (CRCMO) said it was only Sri Lanka that failed to recognize the right to information and there was no rationale behind the government’s decision to prevent Sri Lankans the legal right to information.

The CRCMO said even on earlier occasions the government h

The relatives of the LTTE suspects now in security forces custody have got the opportunity to get information relating to those suspects around the clock at 3 places located at the units of the Terrorist Investigation Divisions in the island.

A vast number of people from the districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna arrive at the investigation unit commissioned at the Vavuniya Police Station.

Most relatives who come to these units expect to get information about those who were abducted or missi