Sri Lanka - Hospital workers’ leader arrested

Samantha Koralearachchi, president of All Ceylon Health Services Union, was arrested at Chilaw hospital on 30 July. He was charged with illegal entrance and conducting a political meeting. The union filed a complaint with the human rights commission claiming wrongful arrest, and stating that Mr Koralearachchi had entered the hospital with the permission of the hospital director and political leaflets were not distributed. Two months earlier Mr Koralearachchi and the health services union had led a strike, including a protest march by 40,000 workers, to demand the payment of salary arrears.