Sri Lanka Human rights defender and General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers Union, Joseph Stalin was arrested, two days ago, at his office in Colombo by a team of over 25 police officers. Authorities claim that his arrest is due to a protest carried out in May 2022 in violation of a court order.
He was taken to the Fort police station and remanded despite suffering from poor health. Joseph Stalin’s arrest is part of increasing reprisals including arrests, abductions, intimidation, violence, and surveillance against peaceful protesters and human rights defenders in Sri Lanka.
Since the beginning of countrywide protests linked to the economic crisis in March 2022, Joseph Stalin has been at the forefront of peaceful campaigns seeking systematic change and more transparent, accountable governance
Previously on 25 July 2022, the Magistrates Court had issued a travel ban against Joseph Stalin and five other protesters raising fears of possible arrest. While many have been forced into hiding, Joseph Stalin has continued his advocacy, openly calling for an end to reprisals against protesters.
This is not the first time Joseph Stalin has faced reprisals for his human rights work. On 8 July 2021, Joseph Stalin was arrested along with 30 others protesting against the militarization of education in Sri Lanka. However, despite being released on bail, Sri Lanka police, forcibly placed the defender, and others, in military-run COVID-19 quarantine centers as punishment for their activism.
Front Line Defenders (FLD) strongly condemns the reprisals against and arrest of human rights defender Joseph Stalin and calls for an immediate end to reprisals against peaceful protesters. Dissent against regressive state policies, human rights violations, corruption and peaceful protest is not a crime and should not be punished.
It urged the authorities immediately and unconditionally release Joseph Stalin and drop all charges against him as they are solely motivated by his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights;
It also urged to immediately and unconditionally cease all attempts to threaten and harass Joseph Stalin, as these measures are not only related to his legitimate human rights activities but furthermore, constitute a violation of his rights.
