Dear friends
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC has been informed that Jayasekara Vithanage Saman Priyankara, a former torture victim, has been severely beaten up by police officers attached to the Matale Police Station and he is being held presently at the same police station. AHRC has learned that Saman Priyankara has been severely pressured during numerous occasions by the police officers attached to the Matale Police station to withdraw his allegations of torture during past few months. On the 7 July 2004, about 10 policemen from the said police station have arrived at Saman Priyankaras house and taken him out and have severely beaten him. Due to severe beating, Saman Priyankara has begun to bleed severely. While he was bleeding, he has been forcibly taken by the said police officers to the Matale Police Station. Presently he is being kept there and his family fear for his life.
AHRC brought Jayasekara Vithanage Saman Priyankaras case to your attention in January 2004 when he was brutally tortured by the police officers attached to the Matale Police Station when they poured boiling water on his genitals that caused severe burnt wounds. We also would like to remind you that after the police severely tortured Saman Priyankara, they warned the victim not to report the incident to anyone and not to take any treatment at the hospital. When Saman Priyankara was released from the police station around noon of 6 January 2004, despite threats from the police not to obtain any medical treatment, he has been admitted to ward No. 10 – accident ward in the Kandy Hospital and has received treatment. After he was released, the police have kept visiting Saman Priyankara’s house to check whether he took any legal steps regarding the incident. They have already visited his house five times from 6 January until 20 January 2004.
AHRC is gravely concerned about the situation of Saman Priyankara. AHRC finds the actions by the police in this case as a very serious matter. It is important to note that Saman Priyankara has been assaulted by the police officers attached to the same police station where he was severely tortured in January 2004. AHRC is shocked that higher authorities in the police, who have been informed of Saman Priyankaras hot water torture incident in January 2004, have not taken any serious effort to look into the torture by the police at Matale Police Station. AHRC is deeply shocked about todays incident where Saman Priyankara has been severely beaten and his present condition is not known. AHRC appeals to all the authorities in Sri Lanka to take all URGENT steps to immediately release Saman Priyankara from the police custody, provide him with urgent medical treatment, provide protection to him and his family and take all disciplinary and other action against the police officers involved in this incident, especially to suspend all the officers/personnel involved in this incident immediately.
Your URGENT INTERVENTION in this case may help to save the life of Saman Priyankara. Kindly intervene at all possible levels and using all possible ways to help this victim who has been tortured twice by the police officers attached to the same police station.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the addresses below and express your concern about this serious case.
1. Hon. Mr. Mahindra Rajapakse
Prime Minister
Cambridge Place, Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 682905 / 575454
E-mail: secpm@sltnet.lk or bradmanw@slt.lk
2. Hon. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436 421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net or counsel@sri.lanka.net
3. Mr. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC
Chairman National Police Commission
69-1 Ward Place, Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 669 128 / 691 926
Fax HOME: +94 11 2 674148
4. Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
5. Mr. Shavindra Fernando
Senior State Counsel
Torture Perpetrators Investigation Unit
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Tel/Fax: +94 11 2 327 765
Email: Prsec@visual.lk or savifdo@yahoo.co.uk
6. Mr. Theo C. van Boven
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9016
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
Re: Hot-water-toture-victim severely beaton again by the police officers attached to the same police station
Name of the victim: Jayasekara Vithanage Saman Priyankara, 32, Self-employed (runs a poultry farm), Married with two children aged 12 and 8 years of age.
Address of the victim: 50/1 Ruwanpaya, Ratwatte, Ukuwela
Alleged Perpetrators: About 10 police officers/personnel attached to the Matale Police Station
Date of arbitrary arrest and torture: 7 July 2004
I am shocked to learn brutal assault of Jayasekara Vithanage Saman Priyankara, 32 (who was brutally tortured using boiling water in January 2004) by the policemen attached to the Matale Police Station on 7 January 2004.
This torture victim has been under severe pressure by the police to withdraw his torture case against the police since the first instance of torture in January 2004.
He is presently kept at the Matale police station after beating him severely by about 10 policemen. I am seriously concerned of his life which under threat at this moment.
I urge you to take IMEMDIATE STEPS to get Saman Priyankara released from the police custody; get him immediate full medical attention; provide protection to him and his family from the perpetrators. I also strongly urge you to order a thorough investigation of this case and bring those responsible persons behind intimidation, illegal arrest and torture of a victim before court. The perpetrators should be immediately suspended from their service at the police station and investigation should begin with immediate effect. I further urge you to provide compensation to the victim. Finally I urge the Government authorities to take serious steps to avoid such incidents from happening again especially through effective implementation of relevant laws against torture and punishment of perpetrators.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
