February 23, Colombo (LNW): The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has voiced its growing concerns over the rising number of complaints lodged against police officers, with allegations of torture, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, harassment, and failure to act on complaints.
The Commission highlighted that these issues continue to undermine public trust in the police force and impede progress in safeguarding human rights.
In a recent statement, the HRCSL revealed that a high-level meeting was held to address these pressing concerns, with the aim of fostering dialogue between the Commission and the Sri Lanka Police.
The meeting, convened at the HRCSL headquarters, saw the participation of the HRCSL Chairman, commissioners, senior staff, as well as key figures from the police, including the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Deputy IGP for Legal Affairs, and the Director of the Human Rights Division of Sri Lanka Police.
The HRCSL acknowledged the efforts made by the new police administration to tackle these issues, including ongoing capacity-building initiatives, institutional restructuring, and the implementation of new strategies and technologies.
However, the Commission stressed the need for greater focus on the actions of law enforcement officers, particularly with respect to the Special Investigation Unit’s role in probing allegations of torture and enforced disappearances committed by police personnel.
A key concern raised by the Commission was the disturbingly low number of prosecutions and convictions in cases of police misconduct, especially regarding torture.
In addition to this, the HRCSL called attention to the need to safeguard the rights of human rights defenders, specifically their right to peacefully protest and advocate for human rights without fear of retaliation or harassment by the authorities.
Furthermore, the Commission expressed concern over the lack of gender diversity within the police force, particularly the underrepresentation of women, and the need for greater inclusion of Tamil-speaking officers in areas where such representation is crucial for effective communication and community engagement.
The HRCSL noted that these issues would be addressed through upcoming recruitment initiatives aimed at improving diversity within the police force.
The meeting concluded with the Acting IGP acknowledging the Commission’s concerns and outlining the steps taken by the police in response to the allegations of torture, including proceedings under the Torture Act of 1994.
The Acting IGP also agreed to issue an advisory to all police officers to raise awareness about Section 26 of the HRCSL Act, which provides legal protection to HRCSL officers from any legal actions arising from their official duties.
