|
This document also available in MS Word format, click here to download
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), the world's largest coalition of non-governmental organisations collaborating in the fight against torture, has the pleasure of announcing the release of a special report by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), entitled 'Torture by the police in Sri Lanka'.
OMCT is gravely concerned by the practice of torture in Sri Lanka, which OMCT considers to be systematic as defined by the UN Committee Against Torture, and the fact that it is accompanied by near-total impunity for the perpetrators of these acts, despite the fact that Sri Lanka is a State Party to the United Nations Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and has legislation at the national level designed, in theory, to make the act of torture illegal and punishable. OMCT also decries the lack of an effective and implemented mechanism that is able to ensure that adequate reparation is given to the victims and their families.
OMCT recalls that under Article 2.1 of the Convention Against Torture, "each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.
OMCT has denounced a number of cases of torture in Sri Lanka during 2002, with the information provided by ALRC's sister-organisation, the Asian Human Rights Commission, a member of OMCT's SOS-Torture network, and therefore welcomes and supports the release of this special report, containing as it does, both detailed case studies and important, highly relevant and far-reaching recommendations to a range of institutions and groups, which pave the way for much need change in this very grave situation.
Please find below the Press Release issued by ALRC concerning their publication, which you will find in the attachment to this message.
ALRC RELEASES SPECIAL REPORT: TORTURE BY THE POLICE IN SRI LANKA
The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) has announced the release of a special report, 'Torture by the police in Sri Lanka', under the auspices of its bimonthly publication article 2 (vol. 1, no. 4), in Hong Kong SAR, today, Thursday, 3 October 2002.
боTorture by the police in Sri Lanka' is the first serious attempt at recording and analysing the routine use of torture by the Sri Lanka Police in day-to-day criminal investigations. It examines how a culture of barbarity has permeated policing at all levels throughout the entire country. Although in 1994 Sri Lanka made torture by a state officer a serious offence punishable by not less than a seven-year sentence, to date no one is known to have been charged under that legislation.
The report includes 22 detailed case studies of torture by the Sri Lanka Police. It refers to a total of 31 separate incidents of torture, involving 39 victims. The report also includes a commentary on the police crisis by the Executive Director of ALRC, Mr Basil Fernando, two letters on torture in police stations by ALRC's sister organisation, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to the Sri Lankan Minister of Interior, the full text of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act, No 22 of 1994, and detailed recommendations to address the crisis.
Among the key recommendations of the report are that the Government of Sri Lanka must strictly prosecute all cases of torture perpetrated by state officers, and establish a special unit for immediate and adequate compensation of torture victims. It also contains extensive recommendations to the Attorney General, the National Human Rights Commission, Sri Lankan lawyers and doctors, and civil groups. UN agencies and international donor organisations have likewise been called upon to insist on measures by the Government of Sri Lanka to eliminate torture, and support genuine efforts to this end.
For further information please contact Sanjeewa Liyanage, Executive Secretary, ALRC.
Link to OMCT site: http://www.omct.org/displaydocument.asp?DocType=Press&Language=EN&Index=2470
Posted on 2002-10-02
|
