News
Torture of suspects in police custody alleged
Complaints against police abusing the Emergency regulation to torture people under custody have increased, says the Committee to Protect the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP).Chairman of CPRP, Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera said that there were complaints from victims of torture.
“It is now a known fact that many who had been taken into custody, following recent protests, were beaten in police custody, or remand custody. In most of the cases, the victims do not come forward in fear of reprisals, or some had been intimidated not to take their complaints to authorities, such as the Human Rights Commission. When they go before the Human Rights Commission the perpetrator officers visit them at home and threaten to withdraw their complaints or to face repercussions.
This is a sad situation,” Perera said.Perera said that there were reports of police abuses including include alleged extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention. The government should restore independent oversight of the police and meaningfully investigate and prosecute alleged police abuses.Perera said that the convict inmates undergo cruel treatment and many victims were forced to suffer in silence. “We received a complaint from an inmate in Kuruwita prison by the name of Jeewananda Rajapaksa. He had been forced to withdraw a complaint against an officer. Since the inmate delayed the withdrawal he had been beaten severely. Now a case against the officer is pending,” Perera said.
One Chamara William, who had lodged a complaint against torture under custody against police at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, had later gone missing and still his whereabouts are unknown. In his complaint he alleged of brutal beating under custody. He was receiving treatment at the Negombo Hospital and from there he had been taken away by the police. Thereafter his whereabouts are unknown.
South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch Meenakshi Ganguly has, in a recent statement, said: “Sri Lanka’s police seem intent on building on their past record of serious abuses, instead of cleaning up their act. “The UN, UK, and others working with Sri Lankan law enforcement should recognize that without the political will to reform on Sri Lanka’s part, their engagement risks appearing to endorse abusive agencies.”
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a high-level dialogue titled “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital” held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20.
The session explored how tourism functions as a strategic instrument of diplomacy by strengthening international trust, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation through mobility and people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister shared the panel with Mr. Kuban Omiraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and Mr. Meshari Alnahar – CEO Aseer Investment Company, Saudi Arabia.
Addressing global trends, the Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka is an example of hope, recovery and resilience in a world of conflict demonstrating how tourism can play a critical role in a changing global environment particularly amid climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and uneven economic recovery. She noted that tourism is not only an economic sector but also a vital diplomatic bridge that supports livelihoods, builds relationships and connects people.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent experience, she highlighted the country’s strong tourism recovery despite multiple crises, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Transparent crisis management and strategic engagement with international partners helped sustain visitor confidence, resulting in record tourist arrivals even in challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of green and climate friendly tourism infrastructure and underlined that Sri Lanka welcomes long term investment in tourism. She pointed out that tourism supports millions of jobs worldwide and that inclusive policies are essential to ensure fair opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 20 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized two (02) Indian fishing boats and apprehended seven (07) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan, Jaffna.
The seized boats and Indian fishermen was to be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on January 20 on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The Prime Minister attended a productive bilateral meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. During the discussion, both sides focused on strengthening Sri Lanka–EU cooperation and advancing mutual interests.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Mr. Masato Kanda, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the WEF Congress Centre. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing engagement and future collaboration between Sri Lanka and the ADB.
In addition, the Prime Minister held discussions with Mr. Hassan El Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, where opportunities for collaboration in aviation services and connectivity were explored.
The Prime Minister also participated in a high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin, Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum engagements.
Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour, and the Deputy Minister of Finance were also present at these meetings.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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