The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission has delivered a landmark verdict, stating that the detention of a youth named Mohamed Rushdie under the Prevention of Terrorism Act violated his fundamental rights.
Rushdie was arrested and detained by the Terrorism Investigation Division for allegedly pasting an anti-Israel sticker in a waste bin at his workplace.
The commission concluded that the arrest and detention infringed upon Rushdie’s rights to freedom of expression, religion, conscience, freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, and freedom of movement. The commission has issued a special statement in this regard.
The Human Rights Commission has ordered the Inspector General of Police to promptly formulate guidelines that include criteria for establishing reasonable suspicion when conducting investigations into terrorism-related offenses, based on this incident. These recommendations, comprising nine fundamental points, must be implemented and a report submitted by July 15, 2025.
Mohamed Rushdie was arrested on March 22 following an incident involving the placement of a sticker in a waste bin at the entrance of a supermarket complex in Kollupitiya, protesting against the killings in Palestine by Israel. Subsequently, a detention order was obtained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and he was held by the Terrorism Investigation Division.
Media and civil organizations have protested the arrest, asserting it poses a grave threat to the right to freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, President Anura Kumara, during an election rally in the Eastern Province, had stated that a Muslim youth arrested for pasting an anti-war sticker and held for 90 days under a detention order signed by himself was innocent of any criminal offense. Addressing the Muslim community in Samanthurai regarding the detention order he signed, President Anura Kumara claimed to have “rectified Rushdie’s mistake.”
“That young man was self-motivated. We arrested him. We took him and examined everything he had,” the President stated, seemingly vouching for the police under his purview. “We showed that young man to his parents. The parents were thankful for saving their child from that destruction. Is this wrong? Is that wrong?” he emotionally questioned, gesturing with his hands.
However, Mohamed Naseem, Rushdie’s elder brother, refuted the President’s claims, stating, “That’s a complete lie. His mother and father never thanked the President at any point. Not the President, we haven’t even met anyone from the government, let alone thank them.”
Naseem vehemently questioned the President’s public statements, asking, “Why is the President telling such lies? Why would we thank the government or the police? Wouldn’t that imply that we accept that my brother was wrong? My brother did not do anything wrong. So why would we thank the President or the police for saving him?” He further inquired, “How can the President tell such public lies when we haven’t met any government official at any point?”
