Priyalal Sirisena
Priyalal Sirisena is a human rights defender and lawyer who has dedicated himself to supporting and advocating on behalf of victims of human rights violations, especially victims of custodial torture and arbitrary detention, in Sri Lanka. The human rights defender has represented groups such as the Small Scale Fishers (SSF) in seeking justice against large scale licence holders whose practices cause marine destruction which impact their livelihood. He is a vocal advocate against the abuse of anti-terror laws, was part of the legal team that opposed the Counter Terrorism Bill in 2018 and supports protestors linked to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Priyalal Sirisena has engaged with national and international stakeholders to raise awareness of Sri Lanka’s human rights record including by coordinating the national civil society submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review.