News

Bill to decriminalise homosexuality in SL not inconsistent with constitution: SC

Published

2 years ago

May 9, 2023

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Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has determined that a private member’s bill seeking the decriminalisation of homosexuality is not inconsistent with the constitution, Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said.

“The Supreme Court is of the opinion that the bill as a whole or as any provision thereof is not inconsistent with the constitution,” the Speaker announced Tuesday May 09 morning.

The apex court’s determination was issued following a petition filed challenging the bill.

LGBTQ+ rights activists in Sri Lanka have for years been calling for amendments to Sections 365 and 365A of the country’s Penal Code that prohibit “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and “gross indecency between persons”. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have said this legislation has been “commonly understood in Sri Lanka to criminalise same-sex relations between consenting adults, including in private spaces.”

Human Rights Watch has documented that other laws, including a vaguely worded Vagrancy Law and a penal code provision banning “cheating by personation,” are also used to target transgender and gender non-conforming people for arrest.

“Police have carried out many such arrests with violence. Among the 61 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people interviewed for a 2016 Human Rights Watch report, 16 had experienced physical or sexual assault, including rape, by the police,” an HRW report published in October 2020 said.

(economynext.com)

News

COVID subvariants spreading in Asia detected in Sri Lanka

Published

9 hours ago

May 31, 2025

editor

The Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the Asian region has also been identified in the country.

Dr. Jude Jayamaha, a specialist in viral diseases at the Medical Research Institute, stated that patients infected with the Omicron subvariants LF.7 and XFG are being reported locally.

Dr. Jayamaha explained that this finding was confirmed through research conducted on biological samples collected from several hospitals across the island.

However, he emphasized that there is no need for undue fear regarding these COVID-19 variants.

Health authorities have also stressed the importance of vulnerable groups—such as pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—following health guidelines, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowded places.

Dr. Jayamaha reiterated that new COVID-19 variants emerge periodically, and health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation, so the public should remain calm.

(newswire.lk)

(This story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Anudi misses out from Miss World Quarter-Finals

Published

10 hours ago

May 31, 2025

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The Miss World organization has announced its quarter-finalists, selecting 40 contestants from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, was not selected in the top 40, despite being recognized for her impressive performances in the Multimedia and Head-to-Head challenges.

The top 40 consisted of 10 contestants each from Asia & Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.