South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a regional network of human rights defenders, is deeply concerned about the current status of the prison system in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of two days of violence in a prison in Negombo about 35km away from Colombo, which ended with the death of 29 persons and about 100 wounded. The dead include prisoners as well as prison officials. Another group of affected inmates and officials have been hospitalised. At the same time, it is reported that after the riots, some of the prisoners from the Negombo prison were transferred to several other prisons across the country, and during the transfer and inside the new locations, they have been assaulted resulting in severe bodily harm and a death.
The facts reported with regard to the critical incident in the prison in Negombo reveal a potential breach of fundamental rights of the prisoners as well as breach of safety of the prison officials due to administration failure in the system of State detention institutions.
Therefore, SAHR firmly urges the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that an impartial, transparent and independent investigation is conducted to ensure accountability to the public. It is also necessary to provide accurate information about the incident to the families of the inmates of the Negombo prison immediately. With regard to the impartial and independent investigation, it is crucial that the relevant authorities secure and preserve all evidence pertaining to the violence incident in Negombo. The Government must take necessary legal action against the offenders and provide redress to the affected victims and their families. Given that there have been clashes in prisons in recent times, as a State party to all the crucial international human rights mechanisms the government is obliged to ameliorate the status of the prisoners who are under their protection and provide a safe environment for the prison officials through concrete and lasting structural reforms to the prison system. SAHR strongly advocates for non-recurrence with regard to custodial torture and death in Sri Lanka in the future.
On behalf of the members of the South Asians for Human Rights
Dr. Roshmi Goswami
Co-Chairperson
Dr. P. Saravanamuttu
Bureau Member