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Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains

Published

6 months ago

2026/01/14

Wildlife officers with the suspects and specimens taken into custody

A foreign couple was arrested by Wildlife officers over the alleged illegal collection and possession of insect and small animal specimens at the Horton Plains National Park, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) said yesterday.

The arrest followed a routine inspection of tourists’ baggage carried out on the morning of 11 January at the entrance to the World’s End nature trail, inside the Horton Plains National Park, which comes under the Central Wildlife Zone. During the inspection, park officers discovered insect specimens preserved in chemical substances, along with chemicals and specialised equipment used for capturing small animals, inside the foreign national’s backpack.

Acting on instructions, and under the supervision of the Officer-in-Charge of the Horton Plains National Park, M.M.K. Morathenna, Wildlife officers, together with the Range Officer of the Hakgala Wildlife Office, subsequently searched a well-known accommodation facility in Nuwara Eliya, where the suspects were staying.

The search led to the recovery of additional insect specimens and chemical substances from the room occupied by the foreign couple.

The suspects were taken into custody for further investigations on suspicion of violating Sri Lanka’s wildlife protection laws, particularly provisions relating to the unauthorised collection and possession of fauna from protected areas.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation said the suspects were produced before the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate’s Court on Monday . The court ordered that their passports be taken into judicial custody and imposed an overseas travel ban. They were released on bail of Rs. 1 million each, with the case fixed to be recalled on 26 January, 2026.

A senior DWC official stressed that Horton Plains is a strictly protected national park with high levels of endemic biodiversity and that any attempt to remove biological material, without authorisation, constitutes a serious offence. “Sri Lanka has zero tolerance for biopiracy. These ecosystems are legally protected, and anyone—local or foreign—found exploiting wildlife resources will be dealt with firmly under the law,” the official said.

The raid and subsequent operation were carried out by a team, including Range Officer III P.G.T. Piyarathna, Wildlife Range Assistant P.R.L. Indrapala, Wildlife Guard U.W.W. Lakshan, Wildlife Field Assistant U.G.S. Chamara Prasanna, driver W.H.K.J. Chandralal, Public Relations Officer W.N.S.A. Wijesekera, Range Officer III of the Hakgala Wildlife Office D.M.N. Sreenath Bandara, and a policewoman from the Nuwara Eliya Police Station, P.A.P.M. Weerasundara.

Investigations are continuing.

By Ifham Nizam

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Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/10

Priyan

(Pic facebook)

It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68

She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.

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Sallay’s wife further complains to HRC over continuing violation of husband’s FRs by CID

Published

10 hours ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.

In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.

Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.

I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.

I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his

legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.

This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.

In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:

1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;

2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;

3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and

4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.

This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.

I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.

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SC upholds Commercial HC ruling that Weerawansa violated intellectual property rights of JVP

Published

10 hours ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.

A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.

The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.

The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.