Sri Lanka
07.01.03
Urgent Interventions
Sri Lanka: the severe beating by the police of Mr. Subasinghe, resulting in his hospitalisation
Case LKA 070103
Arbitrary arrest and detention / Torture / Impunity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission, a member of the OMCT network, of the severe beating of Mr. Subasinghe, resulting in his hospitalisation, by the police in Sri Lanka.
According to the information received, on December 22nd, 2002, about 2:00pm, Sergeant Perera, Constable Ajith and Security Assistance Premadasa, who are attached to the Keselwatta Police Station Panadura, arrived in a three-wheeler vehicle at the residence of Mr. Subasinghe at 212/1, Namal Mawatha, Rividevgama, Paraththa, Panadura. They then arrested him for the alleged theft of some firewood. The three policemen, who were not wearing police uniforms, reportedly assaulted Mr. Subasinghe with a T-56 firearm and beat him after they had arrested him. They also tried to suffocate Mr. Subasinghe by squeezing his neck with their hands. After assaulting Mr. Subasinghe, they took him to the Keselwatte police station in the three-wheeler. While Mr. Subasinghe was being transported, they reportedly kept on beating him using their hands and the rifle butt.
After Mr. Subasinghe had been taken into the police station, Sergeant Perera again assaulted him, pushing him to the ground and kicking his chest. Thereafter, Sergeant Perera wrote a flase statement and forced Mr. Subasinghe to sign it. On the same day, at about 5:00pm, Sergeant Perera produced Mr. Subasinghe before the Officer In Charge (OIC) of the police station. The OIC reportedly asked Mr. Subasinghe about his occupation, scolded him and ordered him to return to the police station to cook for them, before releasing him.
After Mr. Subasinghe had returned home, he admitted himself to the Panadura Government Hospital due to the unbearable pain caused by police assaults, at about 7:00pm, where he remained undergoing treatment for 6 days before being discharged on December 27th, 2002. However, later on during the night of the 27th, his situation worsened and he was admitted to the Kalubovila General Hospital, where he has undergone treatment until January 1st, 2002.
Although there have been complaints made about this brutal assault to the OIC of the Keselwatta Police Station in Panadura, who is the chief investigation officer of the police station, and also to the Inspector General of Police and Attorney General, no action has thus far been taken against the perpetrators of this act of torture.
In December 2002, Sri Lanka established a National Police Commission by constitutional amendment, in order to fill the institutional gap that has so far frustrated public grievances against the police. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC (Chairman), Mrs S N Ebert, Prof. M T A Furkhan, Asoka de Z Gunawardena, Dr Ven. Thumbulle Seelakkanda Thera, Dr S J S Stephen and Dr B S Wijeweera, all of whom are civilians, have been appointed to be the members of the Commission. The establishment of the Commission is welcomed by OMCT, which sees this as a much-needed opportunity to make headway in the battle against the all too prevalent use of torture in Sri Lanka. However, the International Secretariat of OMCT remains gravely concerned at yet another report of torture by members of the Sri Lankan Police and therefore calls on the authorities and the Commission to immediately investigate the events surrounding this case, bring the perpetrators to justice and award Mr. Subasinghe adequate reparation.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to Mr. Subasinghe;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Her Excellency President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, President's House, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 333703, E-mail: for_min@sri.lanka.net
· Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Cambridge Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1575 454/1 682905. E-mail: secpm@sltnet.lk, bradmanw@slt.lk
· Hon. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan, Attorney General, Attorney General's Department, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 436-421, E-mail: attorney@sri.lanka.net or counsel@sri.lanka.net
· Honourable Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, 37, Kirula Place, Colombo 5. Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 437680
· Honourable Minister of Interior John Amaratunga, Colombo, Fax: + 94 1387 526, + 94 1698 282
· Inspector General of Police, Mr. T. E. Anandarajah, New Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka, Fax: 0094 1 446174
· Mr. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC, Chairman, National Police Commission, 10 A, Flower Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
Please also write to the embassies of Sri Lanka in your respective country.
Geneva, January 7th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary arrest and detention / Torture / Impunity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission, a member of the OMCT network, of the severe beating of Mr. Subasinghe, resulting in his hospitalisation, by the police in Sri Lanka.
According to the information received, on December 22nd, 2002, about 2:00pm, Sergeant Perera, Constable Ajith and Security Assistance Premadasa, who are attached to the Keselwatta Police Station Panadura, arrived in a three-wheeler vehicle at the residence of Mr. Subasinghe at 212/1, Namal Mawatha, Rividevgama, Paraththa, Panadura. They then arrested him for the alleged theft of some firewood. The three policemen, who were not wearing police uniforms, reportedly assaulted Mr. Subasinghe with a T-56 firearm and beat him after they had arrested him. They also tried to suffocate Mr. Subasinghe by squeezing his neck with their hands. After assaulting Mr. Subasinghe, they took him to the Keselwatte police station in the three-wheeler. While Mr. Subasinghe was being transported, they reportedly kept on beating him using their hands and the rifle butt.
After Mr. Subasinghe had been taken into the police station, Sergeant Perera again assaulted him, pushing him to the ground and kicking his chest. Thereafter, Sergeant Perera wrote a flase statement and forced Mr. Subasinghe to sign it. On the same day, at about 5:00pm, Sergeant Perera produced Mr. Subasinghe before the Officer In Charge (OIC) of the police station. The OIC reportedly asked Mr. Subasinghe about his occupation, scolded him and ordered him to return to the police station to cook for them, before releasing him.
After Mr. Subasinghe had returned home, he admitted himself to the Panadura Government Hospital due to the unbearable pain caused by police assaults, at about 7:00pm, where he remained undergoing treatment for 6 days before being discharged on December 27th, 2002. However, later on during the night of the 27th, his situation worsened and he was admitted to the Kalubovila General Hospital, where he has undergone treatment until January 1st, 2002.
Although there have been complaints made about this brutal assault to the OIC of the Keselwatta Police Station in Panadura, who is the chief investigation officer of the police station, and also to the Inspector General of Police and Attorney General, no action has thus far been taken against the perpetrators of this act of torture.
In December 2002, Sri Lanka established a National Police Commission by constitutional amendment, in order to fill the institutional gap that has so far frustrated public grievances against the police. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC (Chairman), Mrs S N Ebert, Prof. M T A Furkhan, Asoka de Z Gunawardena, Dr Ven. Thumbulle Seelakkanda Thera, Dr S J S Stephen and Dr B S Wijeweera, all of whom are civilians, have been appointed to be the members of the Commission. The establishment of the Commission is welcomed by OMCT, which sees this as a much-needed opportunity to make headway in the battle against the all too prevalent use of torture in Sri Lanka. However, the International Secretariat of OMCT remains gravely concerned at yet another report of torture by members of the Sri Lankan Police and therefore calls on the authorities and the Commission to immediately investigate the events surrounding this case, bring the perpetrators to justice and award Mr. Subasinghe adequate reparation.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to Mr. Subasinghe;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Her Excellency President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, President's House, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 333703, E-mail: for_min@sri.lanka.net
· Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Cambridge Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1575 454/1 682905. E-mail: secpm@sltnet.lk, bradmanw@slt.lk
· Hon. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan, Attorney General, Attorney General's Department, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 436-421, E-mail: attorney@sri.lanka.net or counsel@sri.lanka.net
· Honourable Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, 37, Kirula Place, Colombo 5. Sri Lanka. Fax: + 94 1 437680
· Honourable Minister of Interior John Amaratunga, Colombo, Fax: + 94 1387 526, + 94 1698 282
· Inspector General of Police, Mr. T. E. Anandarajah, New Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka, Fax: 0094 1 446174
· Mr. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC, Chairman, National Police Commission, 10 A, Flower Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
Please also write to the embassies of Sri Lanka in your respective country.
Geneva, January 7th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.