SRI LANKA: A sorry state of affairs -- illegal arrests and detention

[ AHRC-Apr 03,2012 ]

The criminal justice system of Sri Lanka is in decline. Across the country numerous reports document that illegal arrests and detention continues to happen indiscriminately. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has issued several hundred urgent appeal cases over the past decade regarding illegal arrests and arbitrary detention in locations across the country. Most, if not all of the cases, demonstrate that state authorities have acted illegally when arresting and detaining civilians. Indeed, in most of the cases, the state agency did not supply the victim with a reason for the arrest. This is a serious violation of Sri Lanka's legal code and departs from both domestic and international standards regarding arrest and detention. Although the right to a fair trial is guaranteed as a fundamental human right within Sri Lanka's Constitution, state authorities, particularly the police, have shown little respect for these constitutional provisions.

http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-078-2012