News

Prisoner rights group says CCTV footage risks deletion

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/19

by Saman Indrajith

The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) yesterday said that there was a risk of CCTV footage at the Anuradhapura prison being edited or deleted to protect State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.

CPRP President Attorney at Law Senaka Perera told the Sunday Island that the CCTV footage contained visuals of Ratwatte and his friends arriving at the prison premises and entering restricted areas.

“We have information that they were drunk. He could say that he is an MP and is entitled to visit a prison anytime. There is no such law. Sections 38 and 39 of the Prisons Ordinance permits an MP to visit a prison between 5.30 am to 5.30 pm.

“In addition, he goes there with a firearm. Not even the Commissioner General of Prisons could go near the inmates with firearms according to the law except in specified instances,” Perera said.

He said that the CPRP has lodged a complaint with the CID urging the immediate arrest of State Minister Lohan Ratwatte over allegedly threatening Tamil prisoners at the Anuradhapura Prison, CPRP President Attorney at Law Senaka Perera told the Sunday Island that Ratwatte could be arrested without a warrant.

Perera also accused the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and Commissioner of Prisons Chandana Ekanayake of dereliction of duty as public officers of the State by aiding and abetting Ratwatte’s actions.

“The Commissioner General should know that Ratwatte is not his paymaster but the people of this country. We have evidence to believe that some prison officers aided and abetted Ratwatte and demand action against them and those officers who neglected their duties as government officials,” he said.

Perera said that the necessary steps should be taken to protect the CCTV footage of this incident which took place at the Anuradhapura Prison as there was a risk of it being deleted.

General Secretary of the CPRP, Sudesh Nandimal De Silva said that Ratwatte should be arrested and rehabilitated. “The government gave the task of rehabilitating prisoners to a person who should be referred for rehabilitation himself. We demand that he be arrested immediately,” De Silva said.

“We wonder whether Ratwatte went to the prison with a pistol to kill someone there. If he wanted to show the gallows to someone, why did he need a pistol. One does not need a pistol to show gallows to another,” said De Silva, who was one of the key eyewitnesses of the notorious 2012 Welikada prison massacre.

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AKD’s fourth state visit

Published

25 mins ago

2025/04/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake a four-day state visit to Vietnam on 03 May, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Since the presidential election, President Dissanayake has so far visited India, China and the UAE.

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Sri Lanka-Pakistan bilateral defence dialogue strengthens strategic ties – MoD

Published

27 mins ago

2025/04/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

AVM Thuyacontha shaking hands with Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif (pic courtesy MoD)

The 5th annual Sri Lanka-Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue commenced on Monday (April 28) in Islamabad, Pakistan, marking a continued commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.

The MoD statement: “The Sri Lankan delegation is led by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha accompanied by Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence Jayantha Edirisinghe. The Pakistani delegation is headed by Lieutenant General (retd.) Muhammad Ali, Secretary Defence of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In conjunction with the on-going defence dialogue, Defence Secretary Thuyacontha held a side-line meeting yesterday (April 29) with Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

These high-level engagements aim to enhance bilateral cooperation, foster mutual understanding on regional security dynamics and explore opportunities for defence collaboration. Both nations share a longstanding relationship rooted in mutual respect and strategic cooperation. The dialogue reflects the growing importance of partnerships in maintaining stability and promoting peace in the South Asian region.

The three-day dialogue, which concludes today (April 30), is expected to reinforce bilateral defence ties and contribute to broader regional security objectives.

News

FS officers receive training on disarmament

Published

29 mins ago

2025/04/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

Foreign Service officers with Director of UNIDIR, Dr. Robin Geiss(pic courtesy FM)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), conducted a two day seminar on disarmament for Sri Lanka Foreign Service Officers on 25 and 26 April, 2025 at the Ministry. The text of the FM statement: “Over 40 officers, based in Colombo, attended the workshop physically while over 60 officers, attached to Sri Lanka Missions abroad, followed the Seminar virtually.

Director of UNIDIR, Dr. Robin Geiss, Senior Researcher at the UNIDIR Security and Technology Programme, Dr. Dongyoun Cho, and Associate of Political Affairs, Ms. Fanny Sebban of UNIDIR, conducted the Seminar as resource personnel. They shared their expertise and perspectives on the global disarmament landscape and evolving threats to international peace and security, etc.

Director of UNIDIR, Dr. Robin Geiss, called on Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and discussed closer cooperation between the Ministry and UNIDIR.

The Human Resource Development, Research & Training Division and the United Nations and Human Rights Division of the Ministry organised the Seminar initiated by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva.”