Freedom From Torture called on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to launch an immediate investigation of evidence of ongoing torture in Sri Lanka on Thursday.

In a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner Zeid Al Hussein the London based rights organisation said,

“Our evidence is consistent with the recent press reports and suggests that torture remains deeply ingrained in the military, police and intelligence sectors in peacetime Sri Lanka and that those at risk include Tamils with real of perceived association with the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam, even at very low levels.. We recognise that the transitional period in Sri Lanka is a politically sensitive time and were pleased to see a letter from the MFA to the New York Times stating that the government condemns torture. However we remain deeply concerned by the lack of progress in turning statements such as these into actions that effectively address accountability that are perpetuating torture practices and see this as a dangerous undermining of attempts to rebuild a unite country after decades of conflict.”

Calling for the UN to launch an immediate investigation director of Policy and Advocacy Sonya Sceats, said,

“We would like to encourage you to undertake an investigation of evidence of ongoing torture immediately. This would send a powerful message to survivors that the UN remains committed to supporting accountability and preventing further torture from happening to others.”

See full letter here.