Valasingham Krishnakumar
Valasingham Krishnakumar is a human rights defender and freelance regional journalist based in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. He is the President of the Batti Press Club and a correspondent for several print and media portals including Virakesari, DAN TV, Maddunews and Samugam Tamil news websites. Valasingham Krishnakumar actively reports on violations of social, political, and environmental rights of the minority communities in the Eastern province. He advocates for human rights through the use of videos, articles, and photographs published in Tamil newspapers and websites. The human rights defender has been targeted by state authorities as a result of his human rights work and journalism which include interrogation by intelligence officers, court orders and legal proceedings, surveillance, and intimidation - including visits by intelligence officers to his home in Batticaloa.
The situation for human Rights Defenders has significantly improved since Maithripala Sirisena came to power in January 2015, with improved conditions for freedom of expression, civil society and judicial independence. The Sirisena administration has ushered in a broad reversal of the country’s authoritarian drift under Mahinda Rajapaksa, but human rights defenders fighting against corruption, enforced disappearances or defending environmental rights remain at great risk.
