SRI LANKA: Tortured to death in police custody Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - AHRC Urgent Appeal URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEAL PROJECT UA Index: 61599 ********************************************************************** UA 22/99: Torture and Custodial Death 15 June 1999 SRI LANKA: Tortured to death in police custody *********************************************************************** Name of the Victim: Chandramalige Bernard Joseph Silva Age: 46 Date of Death: 22 Febuary 1999 Place Of Death: Kandana Police Station, Sri Lanka Chandramalige Bernard Joseph Silva, 46, died at Kandana Police Station on 22 Febuary 1999. We have earlier reported several deaths in Sri Lanka, in police custody. We have received yet another report of a such death. The Preliminary report of the Post -Mortem Examination submitted by the Judicial Medical Office (JMO) of Colombo North Hospital Dr. Ananda Samarasekara, states that the deceased has sustained injuries due to repetitive, systematic, and selective blows from blunt weapon(s) and blunt forces over a period. The injury pattern is that of the pattern seen and described in "battering in custody". BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Chandramalige Bernard Joseph Silva was arrested about 11 AM on the 22nd of February in 1999 by officers belonging to Kanadana police station and his dead body was handed over to the Ragama hospital by Kandana police about 11.15 am on the 23rd of February in 1999. It appears that the victim worked at a shop in Kanadana police area. He did not report to work on the 22nd. He was taken to the Kandana police station in the morning of that day for the purpose of taking a statement. As he did not return the family made inquiries and were told by the police he had died of a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. The family later found the body at the mortuary of the hospital. At the beginning the police reported that the deceased was caught by the people while engaged in a robbery and was assaulted and handed over to the police. This version was challenged at the Magisterial inquiries by contrary evidence and the Magistrate concluded that the death was due to internal injuries due to assult. On the basis of statements made at the inquiry the magistrate concluded that a crime has taken place and the police version of the events leading to death as doubtful. The magistrate ordered the Deputy Inspector General of the area for proper inquiry and report on the incident. This death has been widely reported in the local Sinhala and English dailys. One popular paper Ravaya, carried a full page article expressing doubt that proper inquiry will be held as the suspects involved are police officers and involves some powerful persons. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send emails, faxes and letters urgently to the offices mentioned below urging: 1. an impartial inquiry be conducted into the custodial death of Chandramalige Bernard Joseph Silva 2. perpetrators of this inhuman act to be brought to justice. 3. compensation to the family of the deceased ------------------------ Suggested Letter---------------------------------- Dear Excellency, I am very concerned about the death of Chandramalige Bernard Joseph Silva who had allegedly died due to police assault while in police custody. In recent months I leaned about several such deaths. As the medical report in this case and the story of the family members suggest a serious crime on the part of the police, I am writing this to urge an inquiry into this matter and for bringing the culprits to justice. The family of the deceased also deserve compensation. What is perhaps most reqired is a close examination of the causes that leads to such deaths in police custody and measures to bring about a change. Thank you. SEND APPEAL LETTER TO: Her Excellency President Chandrika B. Kumaratunga Presidential Residence Colombo 3, Sri Lanka Fax: 94 - 1 - 333 - 703 Minister of Justice G L Peiris Ministry of Justice Hulfsdorp Colombo 12, Sri Lanka Fax: 94 -1-44 54 46 Inspector General of Police Police Headquarters New Secretariat Colombo 1, Sri Lanka CC COPIES TO: You are strongly recommended to send above appeals, especially by e-mail, to following Sri Lankan embassies requesting them to forward the appeals to relevant Sri Lankan authorities in Sri Lanka. Ambassador Dr. Warnasena Rasaputram Embassy of Sri Lanka 2148 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 Fax: (1-202) 232-7181 and (1-202) 483-8017 E-mail: slembasy@clark.net Hon. High-Commissioner The High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 13 Hyde Park Gardens London W2 2LU United Kingdom Fax: (0171) 262-7970 E-mail: lancom@easynet.co.uk Hon. Ambassador Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka 56, Rue De Moillebeau, 5th Floor, 1 209, Geneva 19 Switzerland. Fax: (41-22) 734 9084 E-mail: mission.srilanka@itu.ch Kapil Sibal, Chair Working Group on Arbitrary Detention c/o Centre for Human Rights Palais des Nations 8-14, avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 , Switzerland fax to: (41-22) 917.01.23, email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch and Diplomatic representatives of the Sri Lanka accredited to your country. Please remember to send a copy of your letter to: ua@hk.super.net *********************************************************************** Urgent Appeal Project Tel: +(852)-2698-6339 Asian Human Rights Commission Fax:+(852)-2698-6367 Unit D, 7 Floor, 16 Argyle Str. 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