Torture

On Aug. 2, 2002, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka declared a judgement in favour of Angeline Roshana, a 25-year-old woman who complained to the court of being tortured, illegally arrested and illegally detained by Inspector Selvin Saleh, officer in charge (OIC) of the Crimes Division of the Narahenpita police. The court held that her rights guaranteed under Articles 11, 13(1) and 13(2) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka had been violated by the police. The court in the judgement delivered by Justice Mark Fernando awarded her compensation of 100,000 rupees (US,172). 

On Aug. 2, 2002, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka declared a judgement in favour of Angeline Roshana, a 25-year-old woman who complained to the court of being tortured, illegally arrested and illegally detained by Inspector Selvin Saleh, officer in charge (OIC) of the Crimes Division of the Narahenpita police. The court held that her […]

On orders of the attorney general of Sri Lanka, the Prosecution of Torture Victim’s Unit has now initiated the inquiry into the allegation of torture made by Lalith Rajapakse against several officers of the Kandana police station. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recorded the statement of Lalith and a few other witnesses today, Aug. 1, 2002. 

Update on Campaign to Prosecute Torture Perpetrators  Today a demonstration by torture victims will be held at the UDHR Monument on Bullers Road in Colombo to create public awareness about the widespread practice of torture and to gain public support to implement Sri Lanka’s law against torture through the prosecution of perpetrators and through compensation […]

Maldeni Kankanamage Piyaratne was born on Nov. 18, 1969. He entered Peradeniya University in 1991 to study biological sciences and obtained a special degree in zoology in 1996. He was married in 1997 and had one daughter.

– Perpetrators: Officers attached to Matugama Police Station, including Sub-Inspector Thennekone, Sergeant Ajith Vithana, PC 26166 Liyanage and PC 13543 Anil in the presence of about 15 others.

V. G. G. Chaminda Premalal was arrested by several Aralaganvila police officers while he was at home. The arrest took place on July 9, 2002, at about 7:40 p.m. The arresting officers said that Chaminda Premalal was taken for questioning for several theft cases. At the police station, he was told that he was responsible for breaking into a hair salon and some houses in the area. He was then beaten with a PVC pipe on his back, including his spinal cord, and on the soles of his feet. His head was pushed hard against a wall several times. He was then pushed onto the floor, and the officers trampled upon his body.

Dear Friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is happy to learn that the Prosecution of Torture Perpetrators Unit of the Attorney General’s Department has forwarded the information provided by AHRC on the torture of H.P. Nandini S. Herat to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and asked CID to conduct a criminal investigation into the […]

Two children studying at Millika Mahavidyala School in Hiniduma, Sri Lanka, were arrested by officers attached to the Hiniduma police station who were investigating a theft which had taken place in the school canteen. One 10-year-old child was in Grade 5, T. K. Hiran Rasika, and the other 12-year-old child was in Grade 8, E. A. Kasun Madusanka.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is happy to learn that The Prosecution of Torture Perpetrators Unit of the Attorney General’s Department has forwarded the information provided by AHRC on the torture of H.P. Nandini S.Herat to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and asked CID to conduct a criminal investigation into the allegation. The letter […]

Susil Jayalath was arrested by the Sapugaskanda police with two other people. According to the family, when the police arrested the 19-year-old, he was drinking a king coconut in an area where the police had made a raid against drug-users. According to the family, the boy did not use any drugs, and, in fact, he did not even smoke.

A major dispute has erupted between the two most senior police officers in Sri Lanka. The row began with a statement made by the senior deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, H. M. B. G. Kotakadeniya, to the effect that discipline in the Sri Lankan police force has collapsed. This caused the country’s highest police […]

Eric Antunia Kramer, a 43-year-old father of three children, is a welding mechanic for the Ceylon Grain Elevators Ltd., which is located at Rock House Lane, Colombo 15. He has been employed by this company since 1995. The Singaporean-owned Company, which produces poultry food, complained of an attempt to break into the company’s safe by an unknown burglar.

Regarding the torture case of Jerad Perera in Sri Lanka, issued by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) on June 17, 2002, three judges of Supreme Court of Sri Lanka heard the submissions of the petitioner in the fundamental rights violation case in which Jerad Perera complained of brutal torture by the Officer In Charge […]

SRI LANKA: Supreme Court Grants Leave to Proceed in Jerad Perera’s Torture Case THE SUMMARY On 26th of June, three judges of Supreme Court of Sri Lanka heard the submissions of the petitioner in the fundamental rights violation case in which Jerad Perera complained of brutal torture by the Officer In Charge (OIC) and 7 […]

A clear pattern is emerging in cases of torture by the police based on several similar cases in Sri Lanka, that is, a person is arrested on the mere suspicion of committing a crime or some tip-off, no attempt is made to check the facts before arresting the person, the method of finding out the ¡°truth¡± is by severe torture. The people who receive the worst treatment are often innocent people who are unable to give the information that is requested.

Dear Friends, We are sending you herewith the following updates on the four cases of torture from Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, none of these four cases has been investigated and the officers who have allegedly committed these crimes, still enjoy their privileges and impunity, even though some of their name already have been reported. Therefore, we […]

Victim: Waragodamudalige Gerald Mervin Perera (39)  AHRC is alarmed by the torture of Waragodamudalige Gerald Mervin Perera, 39, father of 2 children, by eight police officers at the Wattala Police Station in Sri Lanka. The victim, Gerald Perera is presently under life support system in a hospital due to the injuries caused by the police.  […]

UA-22-2002: Torture case of Herat Pathirannehelage Nandani Sriyalatha Heart in Sri Lanka SRI LANKA: Gross human rights violence against woman – Arbitrary arrest, sexual abuses and torture by police ——————————————————————– Herat Pathirannehelage Nandani Sriyalatha Herat is a 39-years-old Sri Lankan woman who is not married and is a virgin. She was arrested by several police […]

Dear Friends  Following is an URGENT update on the case of Mr. Lalith Rajapakse, a torture victim in Sri Lanka. Following letter has been sent by the AHRC to the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to seek their urgent intervention. We are requesting you to act urgently by sending letters to relevant authorities […]