Torture

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed of the illegal arrest and torture of Vidana Arachchige Norman Krishantha Jayawardana (43), the assistant regional manager of Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts of Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation, by the Wattegama police on 4 March 2005. The alleged reason for his arrest is due to […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission urgently requests your intervention to provide special protection to torture victim, Mr. Nimal Silva Gunaratne! Mr. Gunaratne was arrested by the Panadurai police in June 2000 and severely tortured by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ranmal Koddithuwakku, the son of the ten Inspector General of Police (IGP), and […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a torture victim, R. Don Nawaratne Bandara, refused to give his statement in the Panadura Magistrate Court fearing for his life due to severe threats by his torture perpetrators on 1 April 2005.  He further informed the court that he wished to withdraw […]

[RE: UA-39-2003: Torture of 17-year-old boy; UP-31-2003: Update on torture of 17-year-old boy, Chamila Bandara, by Ankumbura police; UP-38-2003: The security of the torture victim and his mother is severely threatened by the perpetrators; UP-39-2004: No action by the Attorney General to prosecute the torture perpetrators of Chamila Bandara’s case; UP-57-2004: Case of Chamila Bandara; […]

[RE: UP-23-2005: Gerald Perera’s murder trial may not begin for another 5-7 years, UP-14-2005: The assassin of Gerald Perera has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department, UP-76-2004: Gerald Perera died after gunshot; His family needs urgent protection, UP-74-2004:  No action from the government to protect torture victim even after attempt on his life, UA-157-2004: […]

“The Government of Sri Lanka, taking serious note of recent allegations regarding torture while in police custody, has introduced short and long-term preventive mechanisms to address the issue, in line with the recommendations of treaty bodies.  The Government of Sri Lanka condemns torture without any reservation.  The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has also […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned to hear that Ms Pranati Dhara, the youngest sister of Soumyendu Mondal, who died in the Kharagpur police lock-up on 6-7 July 2004, is being threatened to withdraw the complaints against the torture perpetrators. (See further: UA-87-2004). Pranati filed a further complaint with the Kharagpur […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two young men were severely tortured by the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Panadura North Police Station and falsely charged with theft on 16 February 2005. It is reported that one of the men, W. Inuka Prasad Kumara Alwis, had a dispute with his […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by the continuous attempts on the life of and fabrication of charges against torture victim, Mr. Nimal Silva Gunaratne plotted by his main torture perpetrator ASP Ranmal Koddithuwaku, who is the son of the then Inspector of the Police (IGP) at the time of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the torture of Mr Dassanayakage Chintaka Deshapriya (32) by Kiriella police on 2 February 2005. In an attempt to implicate the victim in the sales of illicit liquor, for which he had no involvement, Kiriella Police brutally assaulted Mr Deshapriya and detained him […]

While the murder case of Judge Ambepitiya–who was killed two days before Gerald Perera was shot–is already fixed for trial at bar, it may take 5-7 years–or even more–before Gerald’s case is even begun to be heard at the high court. Despite Gerald being a witness waiting to give evidence in a criminal case when […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by the arbitrary arrest and torture of three men by the Kandana police on 2 March 2005. Due to several assaults, two of the victims, C. Niroshan and Dinesh, were seriously injured and admitted into Ward No. 19 at the Ragama Teaching Hospital. However, […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information that a 12-year-old boy named A.M. Shriyantha Bandara was severely assaulted by the officers from the Wattegama Police Station at his house in Lekampallama, Jambugahapitiya, Sri Lanka on 28 January 2005.  Due to the assault, the boy was admitted to the Kandy General […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that torture victim Lalith Rajapakse was acquitted by the Magistrate of Wattala regarding charges of obstruction of police duty on 21 February 2005. He had been acquitted of other two charges of robbery on 29 September 2003 as there was not the slightest bit […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the defense lawyer of Asaru Pulige Sarath Jayaweera Sandanayake (43), who had filed a Fundamental Rights Application before the Supreme Court in 2004, allegedly cooperated with the accused. It is alleged that the victim’s lawyer spoke with the accused during the court hearing […]

[RE: UP-76-2004: SRI LANKA: Gerald Perera died after gunshot; His family needs urgent protection, UP-74-2004:  SRI LANKA: No action from the government to protect torture victim even after attempt on his life, UA-157-2004: SRI LANKA: Torture victim pursuing criminal torture case shot; UP-47-2002 (RE: UA/18 and 19/2002 – Torture by police, impunity and denial of proper […]

[RE: UA-50-2003: Torture of 14 year old child by police officers, UP-37-2003: The family of 14-year-old torture victim threatened by the police and a local politician; UP-47-2003: SRI LANKA: Torture victim’s family flees home due to police threats] Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that the family of a torture […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault of Mr Marasinghe Arachchige Anura Dissanayaka by the police sergeant Nimal of the Wadduwa Police Station on 24 January 2005. After being severely hit around the head by Sergeant Nimal, who was drunk at the time of the assault, Mr Anura […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned that railway staff Mohammad Musharaf Hossain was severely assaulted by two police escorts of senior police officers in West Bengal, India on 4 January 2005. Mr. Hossain refused the request of the two police guards to open the level-crossing gate at Krishnagar to allow […]

[RE: UP-04-2005: THAILAND: Repeated torture at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station; UA-170-2004: Anther case of torture to obtain confession at Ayutthaya Police Station, UP-75-2004: Demand immediate criminal action against police torturers, UP-71-2004: More serious allegations of police torture emerge in Thailand, UA-153-2004: Two cases of extremely serious torture and cruel and inhuman treatment by […]