Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has ruled that the arrest of a man suspected of links to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings was unlawful, ordering the state and a police officer to pay compensation.

The petitioner, Mohamed Milhan, was detained under the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) following the attacks that killed over 260 people. However, the court found that his fundamental human rights were violated during the process.

A three-judge bench, comprising Justices Arjuna Obeyesekere, Priyantha Fernando, and Sobhitha Rajakaruna, observed that the authorities failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the arrest.

Mr. Milhan, a resident of Aluthgama, argued that police did not inform him of the reasons for his detention—a mandatory legal requirement even under anti-terrorism laws.

The ruling

The court ordered the following compensation:

* Rs. 30,000 to be paid personally by a Sub-Inspector of the Mount Lavinia Police.

* Rs. 20,000 to be paid by the state.

The ruling marks another instance where the judiciary has scrutinized the use of the PTA, which human rights groups have long criticized for allowing prolonged detention without clear evidence. (Newswire)

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