Connect with us

News

HRC reaffirms its commitment to battling torture

Published

on

Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, retired Supreme Court Justice Rohini Marasinghe, has reiterated her outfit’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the prevention of torture, through its countrywide education and training programmes and monitoring processes, notably the National Preventive Mechanism, through which a wide range of detention centres including police stations, prisons, CID/TID and childcare homes are routinely visited.

The following is the text of a statement issued by the HRC to mark International Day in Support of Victims of Torture-2023 which fell on 26 June: “Freedom from torture is an absolute right of all human beings which cannot be restricted under any circumstances. Nonetheless, the heinous act of torture, both physical and mental, is widespread in Sri Lanka, and worldwide. The consequences of this blatant human rights violation is not just faced by the victims of torture but also their families, friends and witnesses.

Thus, on this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka adds special emphasis on the need to provide all forms of support to victims, their families and witnesses without discrimination. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, through its inquiries and investigative mechanisms, takes all measures, within its capacity, to provide redress and reparation to the victims of torture.

However, the support required by victims and their families extend beyond reparations to receiving fullest rehabilitation through specialised programmes which include provision of continued psychological support until full recovery is attained.

The Commission also highlights the prevalence of many victims and witnesses who self-censor and refrain from accessing the justice system due to fear of reprisals and past instances of impunity.

In light of the foregoing and the international human rights obligations of the State, the Commission calls upon the State to take necessary steps to establish an ecosystem in which the victims can access justice, free from reprisals, and receive full rehabilitation to fully recover from the injustices faced.

It is also a clarion call to all organizations, professionals, individuals and stakeholders to fully commit individually and collectively to provide all forms of support which includes medical, legal, psychological, and social, to the victims of torture, their families and witnesses, without prejudice and discrimination.

On this day, the Commission also reassures its unwavering commitment to ensure prevention of torture through its islandwide education and training programmes, and monitoring processes, notably the National Preventive Mechanism through which a wide range of detention centres, including police stations, prisons, CID/TID and childcare homes, are routinely visited to ensure no person is subjected to torture, under any circumstances.

It also appreciates the efforts taken thus far by the civil society, journalists, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders to support the victims of torture to obtain redress and reparations and hold the perpetrators accountable for the injustices caused by them. However, let us collectively be determined to ensure a future free from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.”



Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Landslide RED warnings issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya extended up to 1600 hrs today [07]

Published

on

By

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued  landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 06.12.2025 to 16:00 hrs on 07.12.2025.

Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED  warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Pathahewaheta, Panvila, Medadumbara, Doluwa, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kandy district, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kegalle district, Alawwa, Rideegama, Polgahawela, Mallawapitiya and Mawathagama inthe Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Yatawatta, Laggala Pallegama, Pallepola, Matale, Rattota, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Hanguranketha, Mathurata, Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Ella, Welimada, Haputhale, Lunugala, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale West, Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale, Thalawakele, Kothmale East and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Godakawela, Kahawaththa and Kolonna  in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of  Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colonbo district, Elpitiya and Yakkalamulla in the Galle district, Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla  in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala and Horana in the Kalutara district, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, Bibile and Medagama in the Monaragala district, and Kuruwita, Balangoda, Eheliyagoda, Pelmadulla, Kaltota, Kalawana, Openayake, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Elapatha, Ratnapura and Kiriella in the Ratnapura district.

Continue Reading

Latest News

618 dead, 209 missing as at 2000hrs on Saturday [06]

Published

on

By

The Situation Report issued by the Disaster Management Center [DMC] at 2000hrs on Saturday [06] confirms that 607 persons have died due to the recent flooding and landslides while another 209 persons were missing.

The death toll in the Kandy district which one of the most affected districts has risen to 232, and 1800 houses have  been fully damaged.The number of missing persons reported is 81

100,124 persons belonging to 29,874 families were being housed at  990 safety centers established by the government.

Continue Reading

News

Opposition blames govt. inaction for severity of disaster impact

Published

on

The government’s failure to act on expert warnings, including advance forecasts on Cyclone Ditwah, had led to the worsening of disaster impact, Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, said at a press conference in Colombo yesterday.

Gammanpila accused the NPP government of ignoring 14 key preventive measures, despite alerts from the Meteorology Department, foreign experts, and the media.

Gammanpila said the government had failed to lower the water levels in reservoirs, dredge estuaries, and deploy the armed forces for canal maintenance. Local government bodies were reportedly sidelined, and that led to a delay in cleaning of drains. He said the government had also failed to evacuate people in a timely manner from seven districts identified by the National Building Research Organisation as landslide-prone. It had delayed declaring emergencies or curfews and the deployment of tri-forces to evacuate people in such areas.

Gammanpila said an experienced public official should have been appointed as Secretary to the President to mobilise the state machinery swiftly during the disaster. He said the government had not convened the National Disaster Council.

“These failures worsened the disaster, causing immense hardship, disruption, and loss of life and property to the people,” Gammanpila said.

The government has denied the Opposition’s claims.

Continue Reading

Trending