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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM

19 October 2004
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UA-141-2004: SRI LANKA: A man arbitrarily assaulted by the SI of the Horana Police Station without any reason

SRI LANKA: Torture; Rule of law  
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 42-year-old man named Rathnasiri Senadheera was arbitrarily assaulted by the sub inspector (SI) of the Horana Police Station on 29 September 2004. The victim was visiting his brother who was in police custody at the time of the incident. Due to the severe assault, Rathnasiri Senadheera was seriously injured and was admitted to the hospital for five days. The exact reason for his torture is unknown. There has been no action by the police to inquire into the incident or punish the responsible SI.    

Your urgent action is required to correct this matter. Please urge the local authorities to conduct an immediate inquiry into this case, and take legal/disciplinary action against the responsible police officer for unnecessary torture on the victim.    
 
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Rathnasiri Senadheera, 42 years old, married with one child, a businessman
Address of the victim: Akkara 02, Ilambe Junction, Horana
Alleged perpetrator: Sub Inspector Saliya of the Horana Police Station
Date of the incident: 29 September 2004
Place of the incident: Horana Police Station

Case details: (Based on the victim's account)
 
On 29 September 2004 at about 9:00am, Rathnasiri Senadheera went to the Horana Police Station to see his brother in police custody. He had some chat with his brother and left the station. When Rathnasiri Senadheera came back to the police station with a lunch box for his brother, sub inspector (SI) Saliya told him that he was waiting for him and seized him by the neck and dragged him inside the police station.

SI Saliya then hit Rathnasiri Senadheera hard on the wall several times in front of his brother in the lock-up. After that, SI Saliya beat the victim with his fists on his abdomen and chest for about 15 minutes. Another policeman came to the SI and asked him not to assault Rathnasiri Senadheera. SI Saliya then stopped beating the victim and he was chased away by the police about 15 minutes later. The exact reason for the assault of the victim is unknown.  

At about 5:15pm on the same day, Rathnasiri Senadheera bailed out his brother from the Horana Police Station. Thereafter, he was admitted to the Horana District Hospital where he received treatment for five days. He was discharged on 5 October 2004.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or an email to the addresses below and express your concern about this case.

Sample letter:

Dear _______,

Re: SRI LANKA: A man arbitrarily assaulted by the SI of the Horana Police Station

Name of the victim: Rathnasiri Senadheera, 42 years old, married with one child, a businessman
Address of the victim: Akkara 02, Ilambe Junction, Horana
Alleged perpetrator: Sub Inspector Saliya of the Horana Police Station
Date of the incident: 29 September 2004
Place of the incident: Horana Police Station

I am deeply concerned by a case of police torture which took place in Horana Police Station on 29 September 2004.

According to the information I have received, a man named Rathnasiri Senadheera was severely assaulted by sub inspector (SI) Saliya of the Horana Police Station without any reason. As a result of the torture, the victim was seriously injured and had to be admitted to hospital for five days.

I urge you to inquire into this matter immediately and take disciplinary/legal action against the responsible SI. I also urge the responsible local authorities to provide compensation to the victim.  
 
Yours sincerely,

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SEND A LETTER TO:

1. Mr. Mahindra Rajapakse
Prime Minister
Cambridge Place
Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 682905 / 575454
E-mail: secpm@sltnet.lk or bradmanw@slt.lk

2. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436 421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net or counsel@sri.lanka.net

3. Mr. Chandra Fernando
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/426711/327877

4. Mr. Ranjith Abeysuriya PC
Chairperson
National Police Commission
69-1 Ward Place, Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 669 528
Fax HOME: +94 11 2 674148
E-mail: polcom@sltnet.lk

5. Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chairperson
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk

6. Mr. Theo C. van Boven
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9016


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Prgoramme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)