No Police torture
Says government
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
September 16, 2014
The Attorney General (AG) has not filed any case against the police, for torture since 2009, President of the Right to Life – Human Rights Centres (RtL-HRC), Brito Fernando said. RtL-HRC is an NGO.
The AG had filed only four cases in Court of torture by Police, since 2006.
Fernando alleged that police torture does take place though there is a Convention Against Torture, Act No. 22 of 1994. He alleged that information regarding torture was not released to parties who were ready to contest such incidents of torture before court.
Speaking to Ceylon Today, Fernando said, that they were invited to participate a conference at Bangkok to conclude on this issue, tomorrow (17). It was organised by Sydney University (SU). Invitees were RtL-HRC, Rights Now – Collective for Democracy (RN-CfD) and Family Rehabilitation Centre (FRC).
Over 130 representatives including civil society activists and representatives of security and defence sectors of Asian countries were participating and presenting papers about measures that can be taken against police torture.
"The local liaison for the conference, Centre for the Study of Human Rights of the Faculty of Law of the Colombo University, had been approached by the Defence Ministry which had said that they would not be sending representatives to attend the conference from the Ministry, the Army and the Police, if Gunawardene and I participate. SU has now withdrawn the invitation," Fernando added.
Fernando said that in solidarity with them, FRC has decided not to participate in the conference.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya was not available for comment.
Says governmentBY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
September 16, 2014
The Attorney General (AG) has not filed any case against the police, for torture since 2009, President of the Right to Life – Human Rights Centres (RtL-HRC), Brito Fernando said. RtL-HRC is an NGO.
The AG had filed only four cases in Court of torture by Police, since 2006.
Fernando alleged that police torture does take place though there is a Convention Against Torture, Act No. 22 of 1994. He alleged that information regarding torture was not released to parties who were ready to contest such incidents of torture before court.
Speaking to Ceylon Today, Fernando said, that they were invited to participate a conference at Bangkok to conclude on this issue, tomorrow (17). It was organised by Sydney University (SU). Invitees were RtL-HRC, Rights Now – Collective for Democracy (RN-CfD) and Family Rehabilitation Centre (FRC).
Over 130 representatives including civil society activists and representatives of security and defence sectors of Asian countries were participating and presenting papers about measures that can be taken against police torture.
"The local liaison for the conference, Centre for the Study of Human Rights of the Faculty of Law of the Colombo University, had been approached by the Defence Ministry which had said that they would not be sending representatives to attend the conference from the Ministry, the Army and the Police, if Gunawardene and I participate. SU has now withdrawn the invitation," Fernando added.
Fernando said that in solidarity with them, FRC has decided not to participate in the conference.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya was not available for comment.
