Sri Lanka - July 2025

On 23 July, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling, declaring that the emergency regulations enacted under the Public Security Ordinance by then-acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 17 July 2022 violated protesters’ fundamental rights. The Court found that the powers used to disperse peaceful Aragalaya protesters, which included arbitrary searches, arrests and detainment, were not supported by valid legal grounds. The fundamental rights petitions had been filed by several prominent figures from civil society. The Court declared the emergency regulations void and instructed the state to cover the legal costs of the petitioners. This ruling marks a crucial legal precedent, reinforcing the right to peaceful protest and establishing that government actions must adhere to constitutional standards.

Sources: NewsFirst.lk, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Groundviews