Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) expressed their dismay at the presence of Sri Lanka's former head of the Terrorism Investigation Division at the UN Committee Against Torture meeting in Geneva on Tuesday.
Sisira Mendis, who was in charge of the TID and the Criminal Investigation Department from March 2008 till June 2009, is accused of overseeing the routine use of torture and sexual violence against detainees.
"Under Mendis, the CID and TID abducted, arrested, detained and tortured many journalists along with hundreds of other civilians. After release, many of these journalists fled the country fearing reprisals," RSF and JDS said in a joint statement.
“RSF and JDS ask UNCAT to question National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis on the conduct of these police units under his command and to determine who was responsible for the crimes against journalists and violations of press freedom,” RSF's Asia-Pacific head, Benjamin Ismail said.
“Mendis cannot deny being aware of what happened to these journalists and their sources while they were held on his watch. We have credible evidence that they were subjected to inhuman treatment while in detention and were intimidated following their release.”
See full statement here.
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