Spa therapists’ identities revealed after arrests

Colombo, June 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Lanka Spa Association and International Human Rights Law Association have lodged separate complaints with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, alleging that the rights and privacy of a group of spa therapists arrested during a recent police operation were violated after videos recorded at a police station were released and circulated publicly.

The complaints claim that footage taken while the women were in police custody was published in a manner that exposed their identities, resulting in humiliation and social stigma. The organizations contend that the police should be held accountable for the alleged breach of privacy and fundamental rights.

Speaking to the media after submitting the complaint, Attorney-at-Law Susantha Gunawardena of the International Human Rights Law Association said the women concerned remain suspects under the law and should not have been publicly identified before any judicial determination of guilt.

He argued that disclosing their identities amounted to a violation of their privacy and dignity, adding that some of the affected women had reportedly experienced severe psychological distress as a result of the publicity. He further stated that the association intends to file a complaint with the Inspector General of Police and called for an independent investigation into the incident.

Gunawardena emphasized that individuals' private information and identities should not be exposed to the public while legal proceedings are still pending. He noted that the association was not singling out any specific media organization but referred to the circulation of the footage on social media platforms.

Meanwhile, Lanka Spa Association President Prasanna Munasinghe said his organization had also submitted a complaint to the Human Rights Commission, arguing that the arrested therapists had been portrayed as sex workers despite not having been convicted of any offence.

He stressed that, under Sri Lankan law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court and expressed concern that the entire spa industry was being unfairly stigmatized. According to Munasinghe, the operation of spa businesses is not prohibited in Sri Lanka, and it is inappropriate to characterize all such establishments as engaging in illegal activities.

Munasinghe also maintained that police officers conducting raids often seek the presence of medical practitioners despite, in his view, no legal requirement for ordinary spa establishments to employ doctors or Ayurvedic physicians unless operating under specific regulatory frameworks.

He further rejected claims that spas are associated with the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and reiterated the association's longstanding call for the government to introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework for the spa industry. He said that registered businesses in the sector pay taxes and that many operate lawfully under existing licensing arrangements, including registration with tourism authorities.