Sri Lanka’s government has confirmed that 418 people detained in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks have been released without charge, as lawmakers renewed scrutiny of the long-running investigations nearly seven years after the bombings.
Speaking in Parliament on 7 January, Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara said that a total of 540 individuals have been arrested and detained under detention orders in relation to the attacks, which killed more than 260 people and injured hundreds across the country. Of those, only 88 have so far been formally charged in court, while a further 34 case files have been referred for legal advice.
The Deputy Minister detailed the length of detention faced by those later released, revealing that 93 people were held for three months, 165 for up to a year, 94 for around a year and a half, and 66 for more than 18 months before being freed without charges. The disclosures highlight the prolonged use of detention powers in the aftermath of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka’s history.
The figures prompted sharp questioning from opposition MP Nisar Kariyapper, who raised concerns about apparent inconsistencies in the application of detention orders. He noted that since the current government came to power, two police officers have been placed under detention orders in connection with the Easter attacks, while four military intelligence officers who were responsible for the Eastern Command in 2019 have neither been detained nor arrested.
Responding to the query, Jayasekara said investigations are still ongoing and that it would be inappropriate to provide definitive answers at this stage. He added that the Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala, would address questions relating to the two detained police officers separately.
The Easter Sunday attacks, carried out by Islamist extremists targeting churches and hotels, continue to cast a long shadow over Sri Lanka’s security institutions and justice system. Families of victims and human rights groups have repeatedly called for accountability, transparency, and timely prosecutions, while also raising concerns about lengthy detentions without charge under the country’s security laws.
