News

Court orders release of Sri Lankan detained in Cyprus

Published

4 months ago

January 18, 2025

editor

The Supreme Court of Cyprus has ruled to immediately release a Sri Lankan man from detention, highlighting the alleged risk of torture he faces if returned to his home country.

The court issued a habeas corpus order after rejecting a decision to keep him in custody, agreeing with the asylum service that he should not be deported to Sri Lanka due to the danger of inhumane treatment.

The case, as detailed in the supreme court’s decision, dates back to 2017, when the man applied for a renewal of his residence and work permit in Cyprus, which was granted. However, his asylum application, filed in February 2018, was rejected by the asylum service in 2020.

In May 2020, the man appealed the decision in the administrative court of international protection, but the appeal was dismissed later that year. A second asylum application was also rejected in January 2023, and a further appeal was denied in March 2023.

On 5 January 2024, when the man attempted to cross from the occupied areas of Cyprus into the republic, he was found to be living illegally in the country. He was arrested and placed in detention at the Menogeia detention centre for illegal immigrants.

During his detention, the man made it clear that he did not wish to return to Sri Lanka, but on 6 January 2024, detention and deportation orders were issued. However, due to his refusal to comply with the previous decision ordering him to return to Sri Lanka, the authorities determined that keeping him in detention was the only option.

On 15 January 2024, the man submitted a new asylum application. Then, on 22 February 2024, the authorities issued another detention and deportation order.

In August last year, the man’s asylum application was once again rejected, but the authorities acknowledged that returning him to Sri Lanka would place him at risk of torture.

The asylum service advised against deporting him, and the man appealed this decision to the administrative court of international protection in September 2024, with the case still pending.

In his appeal, the man argued that the lower court had failed to consider important new facts, making his continued detention unlawful. He also pointed out that the court had misinterpreted the law, as the reasons for his detention no longer applied.

The supreme court’s ruling supported the asylum service’s position that deporting the man to Sri Lanka would expose him to serious risks. The court referred to the principle of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum, which allows individuals to challenge unlawful detention.

The court also noted that the man’s continued detention for almost a year was meant to facilitate his deportation. However, the authorities had indicated that deportation to Sri Lanka was not a viable option due to the risk he faced there, weakening the justification for his detention.

(Cyprus Mail)

News

World Bank Group President meets with President AKD (Pics)

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2025

editor

President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga met with President Anura Kumara Disanayake this afternoon (07) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

This visit marks a milestone, as it is the first time in nearly two decades that a World Bank Group President has visited Sri Lanka.
During the meeting, discussions centred on strengthening collaboration to support Sri Lanka’s future development agenda. Priority areas identified included digitalisation, tourism, agriculture and infrastructure development, with particular emphasis on identifying short-term rewards, including advancing development in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

The Sri Lankan government’s efforts to establish a robust legal framework conducive to attracting new investments and recent policy initiatives were also discussed during the meeting.

Attendees at the meeting included Trevor Kincaid, Special Advisor – World Bank Group, David Sislen, Country Division Director – Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka – World Bank Group, Imad Fakhoury, Regional Director – South Asia International Finance Corporation and Gevorg Sargsyan, Country Manager – Maldives & Sri Lanka¸ World Bank Group.

Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Harshana Suriyapperuma and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu, along with several other dignitaries, also attended the occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

News

NPP won’t join with parties rejected by people – Tilvyn

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2025

editor

The National People’s Power (NPP) says they will not join hands with opposition parties “rejected by the public” to form administrations in LG bodies it has won but has failed to secure an outright majority.

However, the NPP would consider joining forces with candidates who were elected to the councils contesting independently, said Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvyn Silva, at a media briefing in Colombo today (May 07).

Silva said that only the party that has the largest number of members at a local authority has the power and the moral right to form its administration.

“After the election, if small parties who contested separately try to combine their results and claim a majority, we believe that is neither realistic nor fair… Adding together the percentages won by each opposition party does not mean it is the people’s mandate. The people’s mandate is reflected in the number of votes given to a single party,” he stated.

The National People’s Power (NPP) has emerged as the dominant force at the 2025 Local Government (LG) polls, securing over 3,900 seats and majorities in more than 150 local bodies.

However, when compared to the General Election and Presidential Election last year, the NPP had suffered some setbacks while regional political parties in North and East had made a strong comeback.

The NPP also failed to win control of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), despite winning the highest vote share (36.92%) and securing 48 of 117 seats.

News

Court dismisses case against Public Security Minister

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2025

editor

The Court of Appeal issued an order dismissing without examination the writ petition that had been filed requesting a directive to disqualify Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala from holding a parliamentary seat and to nullify his position as a Member of Parliament.

This order was delivered by the bench comprising Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mohammed Laffar Thahir, and Justice Sarath Dissanayake.

This petition was filed by Renuka Perera, the Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

The respondents named in the petition were Minister Ananda Wijepala, the Secretary General of Parliament, and the Attorney General.

The petition stated that Ananda Wijepala was appointed as the Minister of Public Security by the President on November 18.

It also cited a report published in the Sunday Times on December 10, which claimed that Wijepala had been appointed as the Chief of Staff to the President.

The petitioner argued that, under Article 91 of the Constitution, individuals holding positions in the public service are disqualified from being elected to or sitting in Parliament.

He further contended that the position of Chief of Staff to the President constitutes a public service role, and therefore, Ananda Wijepala was not eligible to hold a parliamentary seat under such circumstances.

(News1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by SLM staff)