Sri Lanka: Two years after the murder of human rights defender Pattani Razeek, still no significant progress in the investigation

SRI LANKA: Two years after the murder of human rights defender Pattani Razeek, still no significant progress in the investigation

Geneva-Paris, February 10, 2012. Two years after the disappearance and murder of human rights defender Pattani Razeek, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), expresses its deep concern about the lack of significant progress in the investigation.

The Observatory recalls that Mr. Pattani Razeek, Managing Trustee of the Community Trust Fund (CTF) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), was last seen in Polonnaruwa, a city in the north central province of Sri Lanka, in the afternoon of February 11, 2010, as he was travelling together with other staff members from CTF on their way home from a mission.

For over a year, the police made no attempt to apprehend and question the main suspect in Mr. Razeek’s disappearance, Mr. Shahabdeen Nowshaadh, a former CTF employee, despite evidence linking him to several ransom calls made to Mr. Razeek’s family on Mr. Razeek’s mobile number, following his disappearance. It is not until July 2011 that Mr. Nowshaadh was arrested, despite being identified by police in May-June 2010. Mr. Razeek’s family believes that the failure to take action against Mr. Nowshaadh is connected to his close acquaintance of the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Rishad Bathiudeen.

On the morning of July 28, 2011, police exhumed a body in Kavathamunai, Uddamaveli, Valaichchenai province, eastern Sri Lanka. The son of Mr. Razeek tentatively identified the body of his father.

Yet, as of today, the police have not made any significant progress in Mr. Razeek’s case. Despite a post mortem was conducted on August 2, 2011, the police have failed to submit a post mortem report to the family, although the lawyer for the family believes the report was submitted to court. Besides, the family has no further information on the progress of the investigation and it appears that the DNA report has not been submitted to court to date. On November 3, 2011, Mr. Nowshaadh was released on bail by the Pollonnaruwa High Court. The second arrested suspect, Mr. Ismail Mohamed Mushdeen, filed a bail application on February 2, 2012, which should be examined on February 16, 2012.

The Observatory is deeply concerned by the non-resolution of Mr. Pattani Razeek’s murder two years later, and urges the authorities of Sri Lanka to continue to work towards bringing those responsible before a competent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law.

The Observatory more generally urges the authorities of Sri Lanka to guarantee that human rights defenders can carry out their activities free of any hindrances, to put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders and to conform to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights instruments ratified by Sri Lanka.

For more information, please contact:

·    OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: + 41 22 809 49 39

·    FIDH: Karine Appy / Arthur Manet: + 33 1 43 55 25 18