Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the Wennappuwa police tortured a young man on October 8, 2008. Following his arrest the police did not inform his family and allegedly tortured him whilst he was in their custody. The man had to undergo surgery to his leg due to the torture when he was in prison. He was later released on bail but the police have not returned his personal property.
CASE DETAILS: (based on the written complaint of Padmananda Kumara (50) the father of the victim to the Inspector General of Police)
At 11:30pm on October 8, 2008, Mr. Padmananda Kumara was informed by the Wennappuwa Police of the arrest of his son, Anil Chandana Kumara, 19. Anil Chandana works as a sales personnel and is in charge of collecting money.
On the next day at 9am, Padmananda and his wife D. Chandani Kusum Latha went to meet the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Wennappuwa Police Station, who informed them that their son and another person had been caught by some people in an attempt to steal a chain. They had assaulted him and handed him over the police. They were further informed that their son had been sent to the Negombo prison.
They went to the Negombo prison where they saw Anil Chandana in severe pain and one arm was suspended in a cloth sling around his neck. Anil Chandana, then told his father that while he was riding his motor cycle with one of his friends on the pillion, a passing car had obstructed his way and as he stopped his motorcycle, some persons caught them and handed them over to the Wenanppuwa Police Station.
Anil Chandana further said that he was assaulted by four officers in the police station with wooden poles, hose and wire. He does not know the names of the officers who assaulted him but he said that he could identify them if seen.
On October 10, Anil Chandana was taken to the Marawila Hospital to be treated for the wounds sustained in the police assault. Thereafter he was produced before the Negombo Magistrates and was imprisoned. While he was in prison Anil Chandana underwent surgery at the Negombo Hospital on one of the legs as a result of the police assault. On October 20, he was produced in the Magistrate where bail was refused but later granted on October 29. He was charged with attempting to steal a chain.
On November 19, Mr. Padmananda Kumara and Anil Chandana went to the Wennappuwa Police Station, to collect his motor cycle, his mobile phone, identity card and money amounting to Rs.8,000/= (USD 70) which Anil Chandana was carrying in his purse at the time of the illegal arrest. But the OIC Crimes Section verbally abused them and chased them away.
On November 28, Mr. Padmananda sent copies of the complaint made about the incident to the relevant authorities including Assistance Superintendent of Police.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant local authorities asking them to make inquiry into this incident and have justice done.
Please be informed that the AHRC has also written separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the question of torture calling for intervention in this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: Police allegedly torture a young man
Name of victim: Mr. Anil Chandana Kumara, 19; Sales personnel in charge of collecting money; Resident of 321 A, Galewala, Danduyaya (Dambulla District)
Name of alleged perpetrators: Office-in-Charge of Wennappuwa police and other officers of the Wennappuwa police
Date of incident: 8 October 2008
Place of incident: Wennappuwa Police station, Wennappuwa Dist., Chilaw Division, North Western Range
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the alleged illegal arrest and torture of a youth by the Wennappuwa police.
According to the information received, Anil Chandana was caught by some people who considered him a thief and took him to the Wennappuwa Police Station where he was severely assaulted by four police officers with poles, hose and wire on October 8, 2008. When his parents visited the police station after being informed, they found that he had been was transferred to Negombo prison.
As a result of the assault, Anil Chandana was taken to the Marawila Hospital to be treated for the wounds sustained on October 10 and later underwent surgery at the Negombo Hospital on one of his legs.
I am informed that he was released on bail on October 29 and he went to the police station with his father on November 19 to collect his motor cycle, his official mobile phone, identity card and money that was confiscated at the time of detention. However, the OIC crimes Section verbally abused them and chased them away. To date none of these belongings have been returned to the victim.
In the light of above, I urge you to make immediate inquiry into the alleged torture while Anil Chandana was in the police station and to look into whether or not the information extracted from torture was used for the legal action against him. If it is, the legal action against Anil Chandana must be withdrawn in accordance with the law. I also urge that legal and disciplinary action must be taken against the four police officers involved in torturing this young man in the police station. I further urge that all his belongings confiscated at that time of his arrest must return to him.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Jayantha Wickramaratne
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
2. Secretary
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers,
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk or polcom@sltnet.lk
3. Secretary
Human Rights Commission
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
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
