Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls for your urgent intervention into the alleged torture of a 25 year-old man named Lalith Rajapakse from Kirigallewa by the Medawachchiya police and Anuradhapura prison officials in Anuradhapura district, Anuradhapura division, Sri Lanka on 21 September 2006. The victim’s condition become very critical and now is in grave danger of losing his life.
Mr. Rajapakse had surrendered himself voluntarily to the police via his lawyer once he learned that a complaint was lodged against him at the local police station on 21 September 2006. Once he was detained, the Medawachchiya police allegedly began to mercilessly beat him. The torture was so severe that Mr Rajapakse lost consciousness, which forced the police to bring the victim to the Medawachchiya hospital where he was then administered saline. However, later that day and against the doctors orders, the police allegedly discharged the victim from the hospital and forced him to take 6 Panadol (aspirin) pills so that he could be presented before the Magistrate’s court. Mr. Rajapakse’s family claims that he was in so much pain that he vomited blood in the courtroom.
Once the Magistrate witnessed the victim’s condition, he ordered the Anuradhapura prison guards to immediately take him to a medical facility. However, in a direct contravention of the court’s orders, the guards allegedly returned the victim to the remand prison where they once again brutally assaulted him. As a consequence, Mr. Rajapakse’s condition has deteriorated and he now is in grave danger of losing his life. He is still being detained at the remand prison without adequate medical treatment.
The AHRC deplores this incident and urges that the relevant authorities take immediate action to ensure that the victim receives proper medical attention. The AHRC also demands that a thorough independent investigation is conducted into this shameful incident and that immediate legal action is taken against the alleged perpetrators. It is also necessary that the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to conduct their own investigation and that the victim is awarded adequate compensation for the physical and mental trauma that he has suffered. The AHRC also urges the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to promptly take the necessary remedial measures to ensure that torture is never committed again.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant Sri Lankan government authorities listed below and express your concern about this case. Please urge them to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the victim is afforded proper protection and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
Sri Lanka: A man’s life is now in grave danger due to torture
Name of victim: Lalith Rajapakse, 25 year-old from Kirigallewa
Alleged perpetrators:
1. Officers attached to the Medawachchiya police station in Anuradhapura district II, Anuradhapura division, Sri Lanka
2. Officials of the Anuradhapura prison
Place of Incident: Medawachchiya police station and Anuradhapura prison in Anuradhapura district, Anduradhapura division, Sri Lanka
Date of Incident: 21 September 2006
I am shocked and outraged to learn about the alleged repeated torture of a 25 year-old man named Lalith Rajapakse by the Medawachchiya police and Anuradhapura prison officials on 21 September 2006.
According to the information I have received, even though Mr. Rajapakse had surrendered himself voluntarily to the police via his lawyer after learning about a complaint against him at the local police station, the Medawachchiya police mercilessly beat him. The torture was so severe that Mr Rajapakse lost consciousness, which forced the police to bring the victim to the Medawachchiya hospital where he was then administered saline. However, later that day and against the doctor’s orders, the police allegedly discharged the victim from the hospital and presented before the Magistrate’s court. According to Mr. Rajapakse’s family, the victim was in so much pain that he vomited blood in the courtroom.
I have also learned that despite the Magistrate’s order to immediately take the victim to a medical facility, the guards of the Anuradhapura prison allegedly returned the victim to the remand prison where they once again brutally assaulted him. As a result, Mr. Rajapakse’s condition has deteriorated and he now is in grave danger of losing his life. However, the victim is still being detained at the remand prison without adequate medical treatment.
I deplore this incident and strongly urge that you take immediate action to ensure that the victim receives proper medical attention. A thorough independent investigation should be conducted into this shameful incident and immediate legal action must be taken against the alleged perpetrators. I also request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to inquire about this incident and ensure that the victim is awarded adequate compensation for the physical and mental trauma that he has suffered. Lastly, I urge the Government of Sri Lanka, in particular to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take remedial measures to ensure that these types of crimes by the law enforcement officers are never committed again.
I look forward to hearing about your prompt response to this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. 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
Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk
2. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net
3. Mr. Chandra Fernando
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
Email: chandralaw@police.lk
4. Secretary
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. 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
6. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9230
Fax: +41 22 9179016 (general)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
