The Sri Lankan Coalition Against Torture states that protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and upholding the rule of law is an inalienable responsibility of a responsible government.
It is unfortunate that by the end of the first two months of this year, 13 cases of torture had been reported to civil society organizations islandwide.
The Sri Lankan Coalition Against Torture has stated this in a special statement.
Sri Lanka Coalition Against Torture is a coalition of 27 civil society organizations and civilians from all over the country with the aim of creating a Sri Lanka free of torture. We would also like to draw your attention to the press releases issued by us last year emphasizing the Government’s responsibility to eradicate torture at critical junctures in Sri Lanka.
This is the first press release we have issued this year. We regret that we have to reaffirm the Government’s responsibility to create a country free of torture by issuing a press release shortly after the beginning of the year.
Although the recent incident of police torture was reported by law student Migara Gunaratne as an incident that shocked the public, the government and citizens are reminded that we as a group of anti-torture organizations have been subjected to such assaults as well as even more violent police assaults in the past. Let’s do it. We note that the government is not sincerely committed to bringing to justice the brutal attack on inmates at the Mahara Prison late last year, and that justice has yet to be done for the prisons, including the Welikada Prison attack.
All these events further degrade Sri Lanka in the Global Human Rights Index and seriously tarnish Sri Lanka’s reputation and reputation as a civilized nation. We emphasize to the Government that the right to abstain from torture is not only a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution but also an offense punishable by torture under the Act No. 22 of 1994, irrespective of rank.
The number of incidents reported in the announcement is as follows.
Number of incidents of torture reported in the district
Galle 01 – Pitigala Police
Gampaha 03 – Peliyagoda Police
Matara 01 – Hakmana Police
Hambantota 01 – Walasmulla Police
01 – Tangalle Police
Kurunegala 01 – Pothuhera Police
01 – Wellawa Police
Kalutara 01 – Aluthgama Police
01 – Kosgoda Police
01 – Payagala Police
Polonnaruwa 01 – Aralaganwila Police
total 13