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Laws against torture treated as suggestions by Police: HRW

23 October 2015 10:05 am - 5     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed grave concern over the abusive practices resorted to by the Police in handling criminal suspects to obtain confessions and have pointed out that although the existing laws are adequate to protect against such abuse, they are treated as ‘mere suggestions and not as required police procedures’.

HRW Asia Director Brad Adams, issuing a media statement today following the issue of the organization’s research report on Police torture cases titled 'We Live in Constant Fear: Lack of Accountability for Police Abuse in Sri Lanka’ has noted this disregard towards following stipulated police procedures is an unfortunate situation.  

He points out that the Police has used torture as an ordinary way of obtaining confessions and has used torture falsely to ‘resolve’ cases that have not really been resolved.

The HRW’s 59-page report has documented torture method that have been used by the Sri Lanka Police against suspects to which includes severe beatings, electric shock, suspension from ropes in painful positions and rubbing chilli paste on genitals and eyes.  

The report further states that factors including arbitrary arrests, failure to properly investigate crime scenes, failure to bring detainees before a Magistrate within 24 hours  and other police mistreatments end up contributing to the use of torture instead of undertaking a more time-consuming process of gathering evidence through investigations.

The HRW has called upon the authorities to create an independent oversight authority and to adopt concrete steps to end police abuse.


 

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  Comments - 5

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  • saman Friday, 23 October 2015 04:33 PM

    Another day, another advice from another foreign body.

    Kale Friday, 23 October 2015 10:16 PM

    And yet you are not arguiing that they are wrong are you?Maybe it takes foreigners to say what is wrong because you are too used to it.

    concern citizen Saturday, 24 October 2015 01:42 PM

    Torture should be treated as a war crime or crime against humanity as such the wrong doers should be identiofied and severely punished. BTW foreign body has to advise because local bodies are corrupt.

    daya weerasinghe Saturday, 24 October 2015 10:58 PM

    Sri Lankan police........has to be one of the most corrupted in Asia. Underpaid,uneducated and controlled by politicians.

    Dr.Raghav Sunday, 25 October 2015 07:30 AM

    Get your brain checked by a specialist


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