Members of the European Parliament have told Sri Lanka it must deliver on its human rights commitments, and that the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be replaced before a decision on granting the trade concession, GSP plus, can be made.

A Mallakam magistrate judge has ordered an investigation into the illegal detention of a Tamil man by Sri Lankan intelligence personnel.

Last week, four people claiming to be from Vaddukoddai police station went to Thiraviyanathan Naguleswaran’s home and took him away for questioning.

Mr Naguleswaran is currently involved in an alimony case at Mallakam magistrates court.

However when Mr Naguleswaran’s wife went to Vaddukoddai police station, she was told that they had not arrested anybody.

NGOs and civil society activists should be charged with treason and sentenced to death according to former Sri Lankan MP and Rajapaksa ally, the retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara.

Weerasekara, in an extensive interview with Ceylon Today reiterated his denial of Sri Lankan war crimes and said that those making claims such as the existence of rape camps would be charged with treason.

“If we come to power these traitors should be charged with treason. That is what I would advise the government that comes to power next time. These people are traitors letting down the entire country and the armed forces.”

The Rear Admiral further said:

A former EPDP member has been sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl.

As well as the death sentence for murder, Kanthasamy Jegatheeswaran was also sentenced to twenty years rigorous imprisonment for rape and sexual torture, and ordered to pay 10 lakh rupees to the victim’s parents by Jaffna High Court judge M. Ilancheliyan.

Laksini Jesuthas, aged 12 at the time, was raped and murdered in Neduntheevu (Delft Island) on the 3rd of March, 2012.

The case was noted for its extensive use of forensic and genetic evidence at trial, in the absence of eyewitness testimonies.

Families of the disappeared have been protesting for 49 days in Kilinochchi.

Sri Lanka is currently negotiating a joint venture with India to redevelop the oil tank facility in Trincomalee. 

"We are currently negotiating the specifics of the joint venture," Sri Lanka's Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody was quoted by The Hindu as saying. 

An agreement is hoped to be acheived before India's prime minister Narendra Modi's second visit to Sri Lanka in May. 

Malaysia's public prosecutor is filing an appeal seeking a more severe punishment for the activist, Lena Hendry for the screening of the documentary, No Fire Zone, reported Malaysiakini. 

In a court hearing last month, Ms Hendry was found guilty under Section 6(1)(b) of the Film Censorship Act and ordered to pay a RM 10,000 fine for organising the screening in 2013.  

Campaigners have criticised the initial sentence as a violation of basic media freedom and human rights. 

The Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this week reiterated that there were no plans to sell Hambantota port to China, it would only be leased. 

"There is no preliminary draft regarding handing over the Hambanthota Port to anyone," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by Colombo Page as saying to parliament on Wednesday. 

He explained that the port deal was entered into because Sri Lanka could not pay the loans previously borrowed from China and that the new port deal was part of an agreement to have the loans written off. 

Families of the disappeared have been protesting in Maruthankerny, in Vadamaradchi East, for the twenty-fourth day.