Growing Calls for Tamil Rapper HipHop Sangee’s Release Amid PTA Detention
Calls for the release of Tamil rapper HipHop Sangee continued to intensify this week, with Tamil civil society organisations planning a protest in Kilinochchi and parliamentarians from both Tamil and Sinhala political parties expressing concern over his detention under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The artist, whose real name is Sangeethsan Ganeskumar, was arrested and remanded after Sri Lankan authorities alleged that videos he shared on social media contained content supportive of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The 24-year-old resident of Udayanagar in Kilinochchi was taken into custody following an investigation conducted by the Jaffna Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau. According to police, he edited and uploaded footage from a musical performance held in the Chavakachcheri area and presented it in a manner that promoted or supported the LTTE.
Following his arrest, Ganeskumar was produced before court under Section 03(g) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 48 of 1978 and was remanded until 17 June.
As criticism of the arrest continued to grow, Jaffna and Kilinochchi District ITAK parliamentarian S. Shritharan publicly shared a call for a demonstration demanding the rapper’s immediate release. Civil society groups and activists have also raised concerns over the use of the PTA in the case, arguing that it has reignited longstanding debates over freedom of expression and the treatment of Tamil youth in Sri Lanka.
The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of Tamil cultural expression across the North-East. In recent weeks, police have reportedly questioned musicians and intervened in performances featuring homeland-themed songs and cultural content.
Last week, Gokulan, the son of the late Tamil musician S. G. Santhan, was among those summoned and questioned by police following a musical performance in Urumpirai.
Against this backdrop, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa also criticised the arrest, alleging that the government was applying the law selectively.
In a statement published on X on Thursday, Rajapaksa questioned why a young artist from Kilinochchi had been remanded under anti-terror legislation while members of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) had allegedly used similar themes during recent election campaigns without facing legal consequences.
SOURCE: TAMIL GUARDIAN
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