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Sri Lankan commission finds 'routine' use of torture at secret sites

A Sri Lankan government appointed commission has admitted that the use of torture remains “routine”, with reports of undocumented sites across the island.
In a report submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture, which is due to discuss Sri Lanka this month, the  Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) recognised that there was a “routine” use of torture by Sri Lankan authorities. 
It went on to highlight the presence of undocumented torture sites in addition to those that have been “gazetted” by the Sri Lankan government in Colombo, Boosa and Vavuniya. The sites are reported to be run by the Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division.
 
The commission went on to  note,
"The prevailing culture of impunity where those accused of torture is concerned is also a contributing factor to the routine use of torture as a means of interrogation and investigation."
Read the full text of the report here.
Also see more from JDS Lanka, including reports from the Asian Legal Resource Centre, British Tamil Forum, Freedom from Torture, Global Justice Center (GLC) and World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), Sri Lankan NGO Collective against torture & US Tamil Political Action Council.
 

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