Ven. Wekandawala Rahula Thero, a human rights defender and Buddhist priest was arrested by Sri Lankan police in Weeraketiya (Hambantota District, Southern Province) on My 26. He is falsely accused in seven separate incidents under the Sri Lanka Penal Code and the Public Property act, linked to violence that took place on or around 9 May 2022.
He has been targeted due to his support for peaceful protests calling for the resignation of the President and for a change in the system of governance in Sri Lanka in light of the ongoing economic crisis. Rahula Thero has been vocal on several issues, including the construction of a road through the Sinharaja forest, the contamination of water and the shooting of civilian protesters in Rathupaswala.
In the context of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and nationwide protests against the current government, Thero has been supportive of the peaceful protests. He has been present from the outset at Galle Face, in Colombo, where protesters have set up the protest site ‘Gota Go Gama’, calling for the resignation of the President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa among many other demands.
On May 9, unarmed peaceful protesters at the ‘Gota Go Gama’ were attacked by an armed mob supportive of the current government. Thero was unable to reach Colombo due to an island wide curfew but spent the night at a temple in Matara town where he also delivered a speech condemning the attack.
The arrest was made, despite submissions by him that he was not in Hambantota and that he was at a temple in Matara approximately 47km away at the time of the violence.
Front Line Defenders (FLD) condemns the arrest and urged authorities immediately and unconditionally release Rahula Thero and drop all charges against him as we believe they are solely motivated by his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights.
