Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa has said people in State custody are being beaten, allegedly tortured and dying, and asked who protects those held behind bars.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP made the remarks in a post on X on Monday. He said a person’s freedom may be restricted, but their right to life, dignity and protection cannot be taken away.
“People are being beaten, allegedly tortured and dying while in State custody. These are not isolated incidents,” he said. He added that the State has a duty to protect every life in its custody and that the duty “is not optional”.
Rajapaksa referred to the Negombo Prison incident, which he said claimed 28 lives. He said medical findings submitted to court showed that 17 of the victims died of gunshot injuries and the other 11 from blunt-force trauma.
He also cited the recent deaths of 29-year-old Ishara Harshakumara in Homagama Police custody and of a 41-year-old man in Kobeigane in Kurunegala. He said these deaths had raised serious questions about the treatment and safety of people in State custody.
The Human Rights Commission had expressed serious concerns and called for independent investigations, Rajapaksa said. Nearly four months after the Negombo incident, forensic reports were still pending and families were waiting for answers, he said, adding that accountability remained unresolved.
Rajapaksa said justice must not be applied selectively and must protect individual rights irrespective of political interests or the identity of those involved.
Background
His remarks came a day after a separate incident at the Pallekele Dumbara Bogambara Prison in the Central Province. According to Pallekele Police, a 27-year-old remand prisoner from Galagedara, held over a narcotics-related offence, was shot dead on the evening of 1 November.
A senior prison official said the man had crawled through a drain within the prison premises during heavy rain, climbed a wall using a pillar and entered a nearby guard post. The official said he was trying to snatch the duty officer’s weapon and escape.
A high-ranking official of the prison said the man had been remanded over possession of “Ice” (crystal methamphetamine) and made the attempt while suffering severe withdrawal symptoms. Pallekele Police and prison authorities are continuing their investigations. The account of the shooting comes from police and prison officials, and the investigation has not been concluded.
Deaths in custody in Sri Lanka are normally subject to a magisterial inquiry and a post-mortem examination, and families can ask the courts and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to look into the circumstances.
What it means
The statements underline that questions about the safety of people held by the State, whether in police stations or prisons, remain open. Families of those in custody who have concerns can raise them with the courts and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
The forensic reports on the Negombo Prison incident were still awaited, he said. His post gave no date for when they are expected.
