A 21-year-old from Mawanella, Sabaragamuwa Province, has been held under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for nearly nine months after allegedly sharing an ‘Anti-Israeli’ video on the social media platform Instagram.

According to reports, Mohamed Rifai Mohamed Suhail was first arrested on 23 October 2024 in Dehiwala for not carrying his national identity card. Although he was released the following day by the Mount Lavinia Magistrate, he was re-arrested hours later at his residence.

Speaking to media, Suhail’z legal representative stated that Suhail is being detained without credible evidence. 

Meanwhile, Police claim Suhail was acting suspiciously near the Israeli Consulate, however no formal charges have yet been brought against him.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), in a similar recent case, ruled that the PTA had been misused to detain another youth, Mohamed Rushdie, who had pasted pro-Palestinian stickers. The Commission called for the establishment of clear guidelines to define ‘reasonable suspicion’ and recommended compensation for wrongful detention.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has also expressed concern, urging Sri Lanka to suspend the use of the PTA and release long-term detainees. He reiterated concerns about arbitrary arrests and extended detentions enabled by the law.