Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the custodial torture of Mr. Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran at the Tangalle Prison. Ketheeswaran was severely beaten by an inebriated prison guard and despite the severity of the injuries he has suffered no medical attention has been provided.
CASE NARRATIVE:
On Saturday February 23, 2013 at around 1030 pm Mr. Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran along with another prisoner named Kanagaratnam Wilendran was in cell No. 9, at the Tangalle Prison. Ketheeswaran was inhumanly attacked by a prison guard who was under the influence of alcohol to the extent that his genitals were severely injured and his entire body is swollen and bruised. He is suffering from unbearable pain and finds it difficult to breathe.
Earlier on February 20, Ketheeswaran was transferred from Magazine Prison to Tangalle Prison to be produced before the High Court of Hambantota for the case registered as HC/9/2013. The Counsel for the accused prisoner, saw him and found him to be in good health as did the Honourable High Court Judge and it was noted that he walked without any help.
Following this incident of torture he was returned to the Magazine Prison in serious condition and in spite of his complaint to the officers he has not been sent for treatment to the National Hospital or seen by a Judicial Medical Officer for a report. His injuries are serious in that his genitals were severely damaged and this has caused many complications.
Such inhuman attitude and the indiscipline of a prison guard towards a person in his custody does not bring much credit to the Department of Prisons,
Medical treatment must be provided to the victim on an urgent basis and an impartial inquiry must be made in this incident. The guard responsible for torturing Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and the higher authorities of both prisons must be broke to book for failing to provide security and medical facilities to their prisoners.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Section 69 of the Prison Ordinance of Sri Lanka has vested the prison officials with the power to transfer any prisoner needing special treatment to any hospital and to give him security and protection.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case and requesting an immediate investigation into the allegations of custodial torture.
Please note that the AHRC has also written a separate letter to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on this regard.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
SRI LANKA: A detainee in the custody of Tangalle Prison was severely beaten by an inebriated prison guard – no medical treatment has been provided
Name of victim: Mr. Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran
Alleged perpetrator: A Prison guard at the Tangalle Prison
Date of incident: February 23, 2013
Place of incident: Tangalle Prison
I am writing to express my shock and concern over the case of the custodial torture of a prisoner by a guard at the Tangalle Prison. On Saturday February 23, 2013 at around 1030 pm Mr. Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran along with another prisoner named Kanagaratnam Wilendran was in cell No. 9, at the Tangalle Prison. Ketheeswaran was inhumanly attacked by a prison guard who was under the influence of alcohol to the extent that his genitals were severely injured and his entire body is swollen and bruised. He is suffering from unbearable pain and finds it difficult to breathe.
Earlier on February 20, Ketheeswaran was transferred from Magazine Prison to Tangalle Prison to be produced before the High Court of Hambantota for the case registered as HC/9/2013. The Counsel for the accused prisoner, saw him and found him to be in good health as did the Honourable High Court Judge and it was noted that he walked without any help.
Following this incident of torture he was returned to the Magazine Prison in serious condition and in spite of his complaint to the officers he has not been sent for treatment to the National Hospital or seen by a Judicial Medical Officer for a report. His injuries are serious in that his genitals were severely damaged and this has caused many complications.
Such inhuman attitude and the indiscipline of a prison guard towards a person in his custody does not bring much credit to the Department of Prisons,
Medical treatment must be provided to the victim on an urgent basis and an impartial inquiry must be made in this incident. The guard responsible for torturing Suntharallngam Ketheeswaran must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and the higher authorities of both prisons must be broke to book for failing to provide security and medical facilities to their prisoners.
I earnestly request you even at this late stage before it is too late to direct the Superintendent of the Magazine Prison to send the prisoner to the National Hospital, Colombo in order to save his life. Please also ensure an impartial inquiry into the inhuman actions of the prison guard and the failure of the Superintendent of the Prison for failing to safeguard the prisoner’s life.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this case.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. N K Illangakoon
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
2. Mr. Sarath Palith Fernando
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
3. Secretary
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk or polcom@sltnet.lk
4. Secretary
Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission
No: 165 Kynsey Road,
Borella, Colombo 8.
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2694924
Email: sechrc@sltnet.lk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
