එගොල්ලන්ටනම් 
The arrest of a 24‑year‑old rapper in Jaffna under the Prevention of Terrorism Act sparked protests from Tamil political parties, but the political storm eased when the magistrate released the suspect after the Attorney General withdrew the PTA charge and filed fresh charges under another law.
The rapper, Ganeshkumar Sangeethsan — better known as ‘Hiphop Sangee’ — was granted bail by the Chavakachcheri magistrate’s court on Friday under strict conditions, following the Attorney General’s decision to drop the PTA charge and instead proceed under Section 120 of the Penal Code.
Singer Sangeethsan is leaving the courts along with Jaffna district NPP MP K. Ilankumaran
The case was called three times due to the delay in handing over the AG’s written undertaking to the court.
To the surprise of many in the court and even lawyers who appeared on behalf of Mr Sangeethsan, a new counsel appeared with the consent of the singer’s mother to hand over the written undertaking.
Once granted bail, the singer thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Jaffna District National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian K. Ilankumaran for their support. He also thanked those who organised the protest demanding his release.
Initially, the rapper was represented by lawyer K. Sayanthan, who is also a local stalwart of Iankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK). A fundamental rights petition was also filed in the Supreme Court on Monday after ex-ITAK parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran together with lawyer Sayanthan visited the singer in prison.
The arrest followed a May 31 temple festival where Mr Sangeethsan performed songs that were allegedly sympathetic to the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The following day, along with footage from the event, he uploaded some heavily edited clips featuring popular songs from the war period to his TikTok account, prompting the Chavakachchiri police to arrest him.
He later said that until then, he was not aware that using ‘problematic’ content and publishing it online would land him in big trouble.
Tamil political activists said the last-minute intervention by the government was due to several protests in the Northern and Eastern provinces and after Tamil political parties utilised all available avenues to bring pressure on the government, questioning the continued use of the PTA.
The matter was also raised in Parliament, where Public Security Minister Aananda Wijepala indicated that fresh charges could be filed against the singer.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Times learns that ITAK Parliamentary Group Leader Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, who was in Brussels, Belgium, also raised the issue during a meeting on Thursday (11) with Charles Whiteley, Head of the South Asia Division (ASIAPAC) of the European External Action Service (EEAS). They discussed a wide range of issues, including the continued use of the PTA and GSP + concerns.
The ITAK MP expressed serious concern about the case and highlighted its implications for freedom of expression, democratic freedoms, and human rights in Sri Lanka.
During the meeting, Mr Rasamanickam handed over a letter from ITAK General Secretary Sumanthiran regarding the arrest of Hiphop Sangee and reiterated the party’s longstanding call for the repeal of the PTA. He emphasised that despite repeated commitments by successive governments to abolish the legislation, it continues to be used against individuals, particularly within the Tamil community.
Mr Rasamanickam also drew attention to the implications of the continued use of the PTA in the context of Sri Lanka’s obligations under the European Union’s GSP+ trade concession scheme. He noted that the continued arrest and detention of individuals under the PTA, including the recent detention of Hiphop Sangee, raise serious concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s compliance with international human rights commitments that form the basis of GSP+ eligibility.
The MP’s office said he had stressed that the repeated assurances given by successive governments to repeal the PTA have not been fulfilled and that the continued use of the law undermines Sri Lanka’s commitments relating to fundamental rights, freedom of expression, due process, and democratic governance.
The meeting also addressed the urgent need to conduct the long-overdue Provincial Council elections, with Mr Rasamanickam stressing that meaningful devolution of power and democratic representation remain essential for addressing the political aspirations of the Tamil people.
Discussions also covered ongoing constitutional reform proposals, with emphasis on ensuring that any future constitutional arrangements safeguard the political rights, equality, and aspirations of the Tamil people.
Mr Rasamanickam also raised the issue of enforced disappearances, highlighting the continued struggle of families seeking truth and justice for their missing loved ones. He stressed the importance of accountability, credible truth-seeking mechanisms, and justice in line with international standards.
- https://www.sundaytimes.lk/260614/n...nal-code-after-pta-case-withdrawn-645695.html
The arrest of a 24‑year‑old rapper in Jaffna under the Prevention of Terrorism Act sparked protests from Tamil political parties, but the political storm eased when the magistrate released the suspect after the Attorney General withdrew the PTA charge and filed fresh charges under another law.
The rapper, Ganeshkumar Sangeethsan — better known as ‘Hiphop Sangee’ — was granted bail by the Chavakachcheri magistrate’s court on Friday under strict conditions, following the Attorney General’s decision to drop the PTA charge and instead proceed under Section 120 of the Penal Code.
Singer Sangeethsan is leaving the courts along with Jaffna district NPP MP K. Ilankumaran
The case was called three times due to the delay in handing over the AG’s written undertaking to the court.
To the surprise of many in the court and even lawyers who appeared on behalf of Mr Sangeethsan, a new counsel appeared with the consent of the singer’s mother to hand over the written undertaking.
Once granted bail, the singer thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Jaffna District National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian K. Ilankumaran for their support. He also thanked those who organised the protest demanding his release.
Initially, the rapper was represented by lawyer K. Sayanthan, who is also a local stalwart of Iankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK). A fundamental rights petition was also filed in the Supreme Court on Monday after ex-ITAK parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran together with lawyer Sayanthan visited the singer in prison.
The arrest followed a May 31 temple festival where Mr Sangeethsan performed songs that were allegedly sympathetic to the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The following day, along with footage from the event, he uploaded some heavily edited clips featuring popular songs from the war period to his TikTok account, prompting the Chavakachchiri police to arrest him.
He later said that until then, he was not aware that using ‘problematic’ content and publishing it online would land him in big trouble.
Tamil political activists said the last-minute intervention by the government was due to several protests in the Northern and Eastern provinces and after Tamil political parties utilised all available avenues to bring pressure on the government, questioning the continued use of the PTA.
The matter was also raised in Parliament, where Public Security Minister Aananda Wijepala indicated that fresh charges could be filed against the singer.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Times learns that ITAK Parliamentary Group Leader Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, who was in Brussels, Belgium, also raised the issue during a meeting on Thursday (11) with Charles Whiteley, Head of the South Asia Division (ASIAPAC) of the European External Action Service (EEAS). They discussed a wide range of issues, including the continued use of the PTA and GSP + concerns.
The ITAK MP expressed serious concern about the case and highlighted its implications for freedom of expression, democratic freedoms, and human rights in Sri Lanka.
During the meeting, Mr Rasamanickam handed over a letter from ITAK General Secretary Sumanthiran regarding the arrest of Hiphop Sangee and reiterated the party’s longstanding call for the repeal of the PTA. He emphasised that despite repeated commitments by successive governments to abolish the legislation, it continues to be used against individuals, particularly within the Tamil community.
Mr Rasamanickam also drew attention to the implications of the continued use of the PTA in the context of Sri Lanka’s obligations under the European Union’s GSP+ trade concession scheme. He noted that the continued arrest and detention of individuals under the PTA, including the recent detention of Hiphop Sangee, raise serious concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s compliance with international human rights commitments that form the basis of GSP+ eligibility.
The MP’s office said he had stressed that the repeated assurances given by successive governments to repeal the PTA have not been fulfilled and that the continued use of the law undermines Sri Lanka’s commitments relating to fundamental rights, freedom of expression, due process, and democratic governance.
The meeting also addressed the urgent need to conduct the long-overdue Provincial Council elections, with Mr Rasamanickam stressing that meaningful devolution of power and democratic representation remain essential for addressing the political aspirations of the Tamil people.
Discussions also covered ongoing constitutional reform proposals, with emphasis on ensuring that any future constitutional arrangements safeguard the political rights, equality, and aspirations of the Tamil people.
Mr Rasamanickam also raised the issue of enforced disappearances, highlighting the continued struggle of families seeking truth and justice for their missing loved ones. He stressed the importance of accountability, credible truth-seeking mechanisms, and justice in line with international standards.
- https://www.sundaytimes.lk/260614/n...nal-code-after-pta-case-withdrawn-645695.html
