SRI LANKA: A young man unable to walk due to torture by police 

SRI LANKA: Widespread practice of torture; inhuman treatment but no justice

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– Name of the victim: Mohamed Najeed Rukshan

– Perpetrator: The police of Gokarella police division

– Date of torture: November 14, 2002

Mr. Mohamed Najeed Rukshan (28), a development officer of the Hevanegedera Samurdi Society is living in the village of Dethilianga of the Gokarella police division. An officer of the police of Gokarella has beaten him in an inhuman manner in the early morning of 14 Nov. 2002.

According to Dr.M. B. Almeda, a specialist, that following his examination after the admission of the victim to the Emergency Section of the Kurunegala Base Hospital, severe beatings to the surface of the foot has resulted in bones and cartilage being broken. He has lodged complaints about this inhuman treatment with both human rights organization and the office of the deputy inspector general (DIG) in Kurunegala.

According to the victim, the story is;

When tenders were called for the beef stall (temporary booths to sell beef in village) at Dethilianga for the year 2003 by the Ibbagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha. He offered his tender and it was for two hundred and ten thousand rupees. A person from the same village made an offer of one hundred and eighty thousand rupees (180,000 LKR/1,866 USD). The person who offered the low tender was all the time forcing him to withdraw his tender. But Rukshan had refused to withdraw his tender.

Later he was informed that the tender for the beef stall was accorded to the person who had made the low offer. But later the stall made out of cadjan was set on fire and a complaint was made at the police station against him. He then, for fear of being beaten up by the police, instead of going alone, surrendered himself with a lawyer on 13 Nov. 2002. However, on the 14th from 3 in the morning, he was beaten up so inhumanely he was no longer able to walk.

Later he was produced before the Kurunegala Magistrate and on the orders of the Court he was admitted to the Kurunegala hospital. He said, “even though I was discharged on the 18th of November, I am unable to walk. I seek justice against this crime.”

Due to severe beating to the sole of one foot, the bones and the cartilage are so damaged that walking has become impossible.

SUGGESTED ACTION

Please send your letters to the minister of interior and attorney general and inspector general of police (IGP) of Sri Lanka, expressing your concern about the widespread practice of torture and inhuman treatment by police, also urging them to conduct investigation into this case.

 

 

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