Sri Lanka
04.03.05
Urgent Interventions
Sri Lanka: Arbitrary arrest and torture of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh
Case LKA 040305
Arbitrary arrest/Torture
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 (AHRC), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh, by Kandana police on 2nd March 2005.
According to the information received, Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh were travelling in a three-wheeler with the three-year-old child of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera. When they arrived in front of the Kandana Police Station near Shanthi Stores, they were dragged out of the vehicle after some exchange of words with two persons in civilian dress, who were later found to be police officers belonging to the Kandana Police Station. The three-year-old child was taken away from the three-wheeler by the police officers and handed over to a person in a nearby shop. The three victims were then seriously assaulted by these two police officers with a shovel, some poles, and by fists and boots. Soon a crowd of police officers from the station rushed to the place and also engaged in the assault of the three victims. Thereafter, all three men were taken inside the police station where they were allegedly assaulted again. A large crowd of people witnessed the incident.
The Kandana police called the brother-in-law of B.C. Princit Perera by telephone to pick up the child that was left with strangers. When he went to pick up the child, the brother-in-law saw that the three men had sustained serious injuries.
Two of the men, C. Niroshan and Dinesh, were produced by the Kandana police before an acting magistrate at midnight and then were admitted to the Ragama Teaching Hospital. They are now in Ward No. 19 and under treatment for their injuries. However, B.C. Princit Perera is still at the Kandana Police Station, although he needs urgent medical attention.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned over these events and for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the Sri Lankan government abide by the international legal obligations it has subscribed to, namely by taking genuine steps to implement the Convention Against Torture (CAT), which it has ratified and therefore accepted as domestic law.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh and in particular Mr. B.C. Princit Perera who should be provided with immediate medical attention;
ii. Order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, to ensure that they are given a prompt and fair trial, in which his procedural rights are guaranteed at all times;
iii. Immediately order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. Guarantee that adequate reparation are provided to the victims;
v. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Please also write to the embassies of Sri Lanka in your respective country.
Geneva, 4 March 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary arrest/Torture
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 (AHRC), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh, by Kandana police on 2nd March 2005.
According to the information received, Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh were travelling in a three-wheeler with the three-year-old child of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera. When they arrived in front of the Kandana Police Station near Shanthi Stores, they were dragged out of the vehicle after some exchange of words with two persons in civilian dress, who were later found to be police officers belonging to the Kandana Police Station. The three-year-old child was taken away from the three-wheeler by the police officers and handed over to a person in a nearby shop. The three victims were then seriously assaulted by these two police officers with a shovel, some poles, and by fists and boots. Soon a crowd of police officers from the station rushed to the place and also engaged in the assault of the three victims. Thereafter, all three men were taken inside the police station where they were allegedly assaulted again. A large crowd of people witnessed the incident.
The Kandana police called the brother-in-law of B.C. Princit Perera by telephone to pick up the child that was left with strangers. When he went to pick up the child, the brother-in-law saw that the three men had sustained serious injuries.
Two of the men, C. Niroshan and Dinesh, were produced by the Kandana police before an acting magistrate at midnight and then were admitted to the Ragama Teaching Hospital. They are now in Ward No. 19 and under treatment for their injuries. However, B.C. Princit Perera is still at the Kandana Police Station, although he needs urgent medical attention.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned over these events and for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the Sri Lankan government abide by the international legal obligations it has subscribed to, namely by taking genuine steps to implement the Convention Against Torture (CAT), which it has ratified and therefore accepted as domestic law.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. B.C. Princit Perera, Mr. C. Niroshan and Mr. Dinesh and in particular Mr. B.C. Princit Perera who should be provided with immediate medical attention;
ii. Order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, to ensure that they are given a prompt and fair trial, in which his procedural rights are guaranteed at all times;
iii. Immediately order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. Guarantee that adequate reparation are provided to the victims;
v. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- Mr. Mahindra Rajapakse, Prime Minister Temple Trees, Galle Road , Colombo03, SRI LANKA Tel: +94 11 2 543938-42 / 437676, Fax: +94 11 2 384916, E-mail: pm_sec@slt.lk
- Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan, Attorney General, Attorney General's Department, Colombo 12, SRI LANKA Fax: +94 11 2 436 421, Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net or counsel@sri.lanka.net
- Mr. Chandra Fernando, Inspector General of Police (IGP), New Secretariat, Colombo 1, SRI LANKA, Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
- Mr. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC, Chairperson, National Police Commission, 69-1 Ward Place, Colombo 7, SRI LANKA, Fax: +94 11 2 669 528, Fax home: +94 11 2 674148, E-mail: polcom@sltnet.lk
- Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Chairperson, 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
- 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
Please also write to the embassies of Sri Lanka in your respective country.
Geneva, 4 March 2005
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.