One of Sri Lanka’s leading advocates for the protection of prisoners’ rights has accused STF soldiers of continuing to torture inmates at Bussa Prison.
After holding a protest in front of the Welikada Prison on Thursday, April 08 and handing over a message to the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, the Prisoners’ Rights Protection Committee called on journalists in the capital to demand that inmates be given their due rights.
Sudesh Nandimal Silva, Secretary of the Prisoners’ Rights Protection Committee, condemned the use of STF personnel in several prisons, including the Bussa Prison, to torture prisoners.
The chairman of the committee, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera stated that he had requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to stop the investigation into removing people’s clothes and use technology for that purpose.
“He said he would look into the matter next year and take necessary action.”
Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera further assured that the struggle for the rights of prisoners will continue.
Prison officials have accused the Mahara Prison of killing 11 people and injuring more than 100 others late last year, and of torturing inmates who witnessed the crime.
The following are the issues that have been identified in the letter mentioned in the letter given by the Committee to Protect the Rights of Prisoners to the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya.
Shortages in sanitation facilities, including food and medicine for inmates
Torture of inmates and other forms of inhumane treatment (there are currently reports of torture of inmates at Bussa Prison).
Lack of a complete sociological rehabilitation program for detainees;
Failure to conduct the prisoner review process efficiently and transparently under the Prisons Ordinance;
Inadequate access to visitors’ relatives and visitors, and in many cases inconvenience to relatives and visitors;
Lack of adequate communication facilities for detainees to communicate with their families;
Difficulties in obtaining legal representation for detainees,
Lack of immediate release from prison on bail or release from prison;
Lack of a hygienic method to prevent the spread of other infectious diseases, including covid 19