On 23 June 2025, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk visited Sri Lanka, engaging with key stakeholders including the President, the Chief Justice, government officials, political leaders, and civil society groups. His visit came at a time of growing concern over the country’s deteriorating civic space and rights-restricting legislation. At a media conference in Colombo, the High Commissioner called for the repeal of the Online Safety Act (OSA), citing its vague and overly broad provisions that threaten freedom of expression and digital rights. He also urged the government to impose a moratorium on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and to expedite the review and release of long-term detainees held under the law without due process.
The visit signaled heightened international scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s ongoing legal and human rights challenges, particularly the chilling effects of the OSA and PTA on free speech, association, and civic activism, and the urgent need for the government to take concrete legislative action and foster a more open and rights-respecting environment.
For civil society and the media, this moment presents an opportunity to reclaim space and legitimacy. The potential repeal of the OSA would be especially impactful in restoring media freedom, reducing state censorship, and enabling more robust investigative journalism and rights-based advocacy. These actors, long constrained by repressive legal tools and surveillance, would gain renewed authority to participate in democratic processes and public discourse.