Mahinda Rajapaksa Walks Free as Prosecutors Drop Aragalaya Attack Charges

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has escaped indictment in connection with the violent attack on Aragalaya protesters that took place in May 2022, in a development that has reignited public debate over accountability and the rule of law in the country.

The Galle Face Attacks

On the night of May 9, 2022, supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa — who was serving as Prime Minister at the time — launched coordinated attacks on peaceful demonstrators gathered at Galle Face Green as part of the mass protest movement that came to be known as the Aragalaya, or "struggle." The violence left dozens of protesters injured and caused widespread destruction of protest encampments that had become a symbol of the people's demand for political and economic reform.

The attacks drew immediate and widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally, with many calling for those responsible to be held fully accountable. Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister the same day amid the fallout from the violence.

No Charges to Answer

Despite investigations into the incident, authorities have determined that Mahinda Rajapaksa will not face formal indictment over the attacks. The decision has been met with deep frustration among civil society groups and former protest movement members, who argue that justice has once again eluded those in positions of power.

Critics contend that the outcome reflects a broader pattern in Sri Lanka where senior political figures are rarely held to account for acts of political violence, regardless of the strength of public sentiment or the weight of evidence gathered during investigations.

Public Reaction

Reactions across the country have been sharply divided along predictable political lines. Supporters of Rajapaksa have welcomed the decision, insisting he bore no personal criminal responsibility for the actions of individuals who attended a rally organised in his support. Opponents, however, see the outcome as a deeply troubling signal about the integrity of Sri Lanka's justice system.

• The May 9, 2022 attacks are widely regarded as a turning point in the Aragalaya movement.
• Several lower-level individuals were arrested in connection with the violence in the weeks that followed.
• Mahinda Rajapaksa has maintained that he did not incite or direct the violence against protesters.

The Aragalaya movement ultimately succeeded in forcing both Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, from office in 2022, marking one of the most significant political upheavals in Sri Lanka's modern history.

As the decision becomes public, advocacy groups have vowed to continue pressing for full accountability for all those involved in the attacks, warning that impunity at the highest levels of government remains one of the most serious threats to democratic governance in Sri Lanka.