(Hong Kong, July 23, 2007)
On March 11, 2008 Shanthigara Suresh Kumar of 21 A, Kandy Road, Balagolla, a teacher at Trinity College Kandy was illegally arrested and detained. Mr. Shanthigara has complained of being severely tortured and implicated in fabricated charges.
Mr. Shanthigara was the master in charge of hockey for the primary school at Trinity College. He was requested to go to the Kandy Police Station on March 11 at around 2.30 p.m. on the pretext that his help was needed to organise a hockey tournament. He visited the police station as requested and was arrested without being informed of the charges and placed in a police cell. The same day two uniformed officers and three others in civilian clothes went to his house and removed his computer, laptop and some CDs. On same day he was questioned and subjected to severe torture. He was again interrogated on the March 30 and in the morning of the 31st. He complains that he was stripped naked, hung from the ceiling and beaten by several police officers. He also complains of being kicked and being burned on the head with cigarettes. Chilly smoke was also blown into his face and he was also subjected to electric shocks. He was told to admit that his school principle at Trinity College was involved with terrorists, which he refused to do. He was repeatedly asked to commit suicide.
Mr. Shanthigara was produced before a magistrate on March 31 and ordered to be remanded at Bogambara prison. He was granted bail on July 18 and asked to sign in at the Kandy Police Station every Sunday.
After suffering the torture Mr. Shanthigara states that he has developed asthma and suffers from headaches. There are marks of torture all over his body and he is being constantly threatened not to take any action against the police. The police have filed fabricated charges of providing information to terrorists and training terrorists.
Mr. Shanthigaras wife was a teacher at Ashoka Vidyalaya and her job has been terminated on the grounds of keeping undesirable associations.
The allegations of torture, illegal arrest and detention and constant threats for not making complaints need to be investigated and redress needs to be provided for this alleged victim of torture, said Basil Fernando, Executive Director of the Asian Human Rights Commission.
Mr. Fernando went on to say, Torture and fabrication of charges are common occurrences in Sri Lanka. The persons who are more vulnerable for this treatment are Tamils who are suspected even before there are any real grounds for suspicion. Despite of the long detention at the police station and severe torture the police could not find any evidence against Shanthigara Suresh Kumar but even then he is not being left in peace. The fabricated charges may well be for the purpose of intimidating him and his family from pursuing complaints for a baseless arrest and against torture.
