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BASL’s top award for courageous service goes to Upul Jayasuriya
View(s):The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) will confer the distinguished title of Honoris Causa on Upul Jayasuriya, PC, in recognition of his “exceptional and courageous service” to the association and to the country’s legal system during some of its most turbulent years.
The proposal, put forward by the incumbent president of the BASL, Rajeev Amarasuriya, received unanimous approval.
Mr Jayasuriya’s presidency coincided with one of the most contentious constitutional episodes in the country’s recent history—the impeachment and removal of then Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. As head of the BASL, he spearheaded the Bar’s campaign calling for her restoration, mobilising lawyers islandwide in defence of constitutional governance and judicial independence, the Association stated. 
Mr Jayasuriya himself was reported to have faced threats during that period. Yet, he remained publicly steadfast, insisting that the legal profession could not remain silent when the judiciary’s independence was at stake. The eventual restoration of Chief Justice Bandaranayake marked a defining moment in Sri Lanka’s constitutional trajectory.
In the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic collapse, Mr Jayasuriya appeared in the landmark litigation widely known as the ‘Economy Crash’ case, pursuing accountability against those alleged to have contributed to the financial crisis. The case, closely watched both locally and internationally, reinforced his long-held position that public office must remain answerable to the law.
Recognition of his contribution to safeguarding democratic norms came in the form of the prestigious Rule of Law Award, accompanied by a monetary prize of US$ 5,000. In a gesture that resonated across civil society, Mr Jayasuriya handed over the entire sum to Sandya Ekneligoda, whose prolonged struggle for truth regarding the disappearance of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda has become emblematic of the pursuit of justice in
Sri Lanka.
Mr Jayasuriya’s life in law and public service was recently chronicled in his autobiography, “I Was There.” The launch drew judges of the superior courts, former presidents and senior members of the Bar.
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