Sri Lankan Supreme Court Denounces Emergency Ruling of 2022
A Supreme Court bench in Sri Lanka declared that the state of emergency imposed in July 2022 was unconstitutional, violating fundamental rights. The decision comes after protests erupted due to an unprecedented financial crisis, ultimately leading to the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Three petitions were filed challenging the emergency declaration.
- Country:
- Sri Lanka
In a landmark decision, a three-member Supreme Court bench in Sri Lanka ruled on Wednesday that the July 2022 state of emergency to control mass protests violated fundamental rights. The ruling responded to petitions by civil society organizations filed in August 2022.
The petitions argued that the emergency declaration by then acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 18, 2022, aimed to quash dissent without valid grounds. The move came during Sri Lanka's first-ever sovereign default since its independence in 1948, prompting extensive civil unrest and protests throughout the nation.
As mass protests erupted, citizens faced long queues for fuel and essentials amid severe foreign exchange shortages. The crisis led to then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation after fleeing the country on July 9, 2022. Eventually, the court ruled in a 2-1 verdict supporting the petitioners, directing the state to cover legal expenses.
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