General Informs Court Of Appeal To Drop Charges On Karannagoda

Sarah Thanawala

Sri Lanka and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defense

On 13 October 2021, the Court of Appeal was informed by Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam to not proceed with the charges pressed against Admiral of Fleet, Wasantha Karannagoda (Colombo Gazette, 2021). Karannagoda was indicted by then Attorney General, Dappula de Livera PC, for abduction and disappearance of eleven Tamil youth in 2008-2009, punishable under the Sri Lankan Penal Code. (Colombo Gazette, 2021). However, on 4 August 2021, the current Attorney General’s Department decided to not proceed with the charges against Karannagoda (Colombo Gazette, 2021). 

Sri Lanka has the second highest number of enforced disappearances in the world (Amnesty International, 2021). It has signed and ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and is under an obligation to uphold its protections (OHCHR). Such dismissal of charges by the Attorney General’s Department signifies Sri Lanka’s human rights violations due to its absolute inaction and blatant denial in providing justice to victims of enforced disappearances and their families.

Further reading and sources:

Amnesty International. (2021, August 4). Sri Lanka: Authorities Falter on Accountability in ‘Navy 11’ Case. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/08/sri-lanka-authorities-falter-on-accountability-in-navy-11-case/

Colombo Gazette (2021, October 13). Court of Appeal told to drop charges on Karannagoda. https://colombogazette.com/2021/10/13/court-of-appeal-told-to-drop-charges-on-karannagoda/ 

OHCHR. Committee on Enforced Disappearances. Retrived on 14 October, 2021. https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/ced/pages/conventionced.aspx