Opposition parties have written to international professional organisations to alert the latter with regard to the alleged grave situation of threats to the life and safety of professionals in Sri Lanka, specifically relating to the security of lawyers and the public.
The letter signed by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and former President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and addressed to the International Bar Association, the Commonwealth Lawyers' Association, the International Commission of Jurists, the International Association of Young Lawyers, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, Amnesty International, Human Rights (HR) Watch, the International Federation for HR, the World Organisation against Torture, Frontline Defenders, the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for HR, and the UN Special Rapporteur on HR Defenders, urges the latter to make suitable interventions to help preserve a culture held sacrosanct.
The letter drew attention to a series of alarming events which have taken place in Sri Lanka in the recent past. “There is now a recurring pattern of shootings and killings, with the use of sophisticated firearms, with more than 60 lives lost last year (2025) and nine this year. An incident which occurred in broad daylight on 13 February, in the immediate vicinity of a high-security zone, claimed the lives of attorney-at-law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife.
“Within an hour of this killing, there were statements attributed to the Police that the victim of the murder had appeared professionally for a criminal well known for drug trafficking, and that the motive for the killing arose from criminal activity on the part of his clients. In the absence of any investigation at that point, this was a reckless and irresponsible intervention, calculated to distort the issue, and to diminish the gravity of this despicable atrocity. It is disheartening that there is now, to a significant extent, the erosion of an environment conducive to the proper functioning of the courts system. Prevailing conditions no longer allow the bench and the bar to fulfil their duties with robust independence, bereft of fear and favour. This poses a basic challenge to the right of any accused person to be represented by counsel.
“There is clear evidence of pressure being brought to bear on the Attorney-General, which has the effect of politicising the exercise of the prosecutorial function, with consequent detriment to the perceived fairness of the criminal justice process. Due process, natural justice and established traditions are being violated by vicious political attacks. Rising public discontent across the spectrum is sought to be suppressed by the provisions of a proposed anti-terrorism law which, in its present form, strikes at the very root of democratic institutions and values, and demonstrably infringes core obligations undertaken by Sri Lanka in international instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Directly targeted are media institutions with obvious vulnerability for owners, editors, executive staff, and media personnel at all levels. The extreme politicisation of the Police force, under the leadership of an Inspector-General of Police who has jettisoned even the appearance of detachment and objectivity, militates seriously against professionalism and impartiality in respect of criminal investigations, including the inquiry into the recent killing of a member of the legal profession.
“The Government is clearly in breach of its duty to take administrative and, if necessary, legislative measures to give effect to Article 9(4) of the Luxembourg Convention for the protection of lawyers. These salient features of a vibrant democracy are today under sustained and formidable challenge. The Public Security Minister, Ananda Wijepala has failed dismally in his duty to secure the safety of citizens and to forestall the increasingly manifest deterioration of law and order,” the letter further read.
The other signatories include Patali Champika Ranawaka, Namal Rajapaksa, Jeevan Thondaman, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Mano Ganesan, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Sugeeshwara Bandara, Prasanna Ranatunga, Dilith Jayaweera, Anuradha Jayaratne, Ravi Karunanayake, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Jayantha Wijesinghe, Asanka Navarathna, and Senal Welgama.