Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the brutal torture of Mr. W. Sunil and his wife, Wasanthi by the Wanduranba police on 17 March 2006.
On March 17, at around noon, two policemen from the Wanduramba police visited Mr. Sunils vegetable farm. As he was not in, they hid themselves nearby. When Mr. Sunil returned to the farm and heard his wife Wasanthi shouting, he went to investigate. Suddenly the two policemen jumped onto him and assaulted him with a wooden club. While torturing him they demanded illicit liquor and implements. When Mr. Sunil denied any knowledge of this, he was assaulted once again.
Later Mr. Sunil noticed that the police were forcing his wife to kneel down in front of their home. When he was placed alongside her, the police then proceeded to torture the couple before forcibly taking them away from their home. When the couple asked for some water, the police told them to drink muddy water and then forced them to do so.
The police then forced Mr. Sunil and his wife to get into an open-top vehicle – thus, publicly shaming them – and took them to the Wanduramba police station. At the station, again they were forced to kneel down and remain so for over one hour. Sub-Inspector Panawela moved towards the victims and struck them with a muddy shirt. The police then wrote something down on paper and forced Mr. Sunils signature onto the document. At around 8pm, the couple was released on police bail.
That night, as Sunils wifes condition worsened, he took her to the Karapitiya hospital. Both husband and wife were admitted to the hospital where they were treated for three days. At the hospital they complained to the Judicial Medical Officer, as well as the hospital police about the torture.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter to the relevant authorities listed below and condemn the actions of the alleged perpetrators. Please urge them to ensure that an investigation is launched into this incident and that the alleged perpetrators, if found guilty, are prosecuted as soon as possible; as public officers such conduct should be subjected to the provisions of the Convention Against Torture Act No 22 of 1994 which states a minimum seven year sentence for torture conviction. Also please ask that the concerned officers be suspended or transferred from their duty while the investigation is going on. Adequate compensation should also be afforded to the victims.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: Torture of a husband and wife by the Wanduramba police
Names of victims:
1. W Sunil, 31-years-old, married with one child; occupation: farmer; address: higher Kihimbiya, Galle
2. Wasanthi Sunil
Names of alleged perpetrators: The Sub-Inspector and policemen attached to the Wanduramba police station
Date of incident: 17 March 2006
I am writing to you with deep concern regarding the torture of Mr. W. Sunil and his wife Wasanthi by policemen attached to the Wanduramba police.
According to the information I have received, on March 17, at around noon, two policemen from the Wanduramba police visited Mr. Sunils vegetable farm and proceeded to torture him and his wife, Wasanthi. The police demanded illicit liquor and implements from Mr. Sunil, but when he denied any knowledge of such things, the police assaulted him once again.
After some time the police forced Mr. Sunil and Wasanthi to get into an open-top vehicle thus publicly shaming them- and took them to the Wanduramba police station. At the station, they were forced to kneel down and remain so for over one hour. Sub-Inspector Panawela moved towards the victims and struck them with a muddy shirt. The police then wrote something down on paper and forced Mr. Sunils signature onto the document. At around 8pm, the couple was released on police bail.
That night, as Wasanthis condition worsened, she was taken by her husband to the Karapitiya hospital. Both husband and wife were admitted to the hospital where they were treated for three days. At the hospital they complained to the Judicial Medical Officer, as well as the hospital police about their torture.
I light of this, I am calling on you to intervene in this matter. I ask that you ensure an immediate investigation into this matter. Legal action must be taken against the perpetrators and as public officers their conduct should be subjected to the provisions of the Convention Against Torture Act No 22 of 1994 which states a minimum seven year sentence for torture conviction. I also ask that the concerned officers be suspended or transferred from their duty while the investigation is underway. Lastly, adequate compensation should be afforded to the victims.
I trust your intervention will be forthcoming in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
2. Mr. Chandra Fernando
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
3. 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
4. Mr. J Thangawelu
DIG Legal
Police Headquarters
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: 94 11 2381 394
Email: legaldiv@police.lk
5. 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: polcom@sltnet.lk
6. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
President
Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
C/- Office of the President
Temple Trees
150, Galle Road
Colombo 3
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657 (this is contact for Secretary to President)
Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk
7. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr. Safir Syed
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 917 9016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
