April 06, Colombo (LNW): The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has voiced deep alarm following the death of a young man who died in police custody under distressing circumstances during the early hours of April 02, 2025, whilst being held at the Welikada Police Station.
Initial reports suggest that the youth had sustained fatal injuries allegedly inflicted upon himself whilst in custody. However, questions have been raised regarding the mental state of the individual at the time, and whether appropriate precautions were taken by the authorities.
Following his injury, the detainee was transferred to the Mulleriyawa Hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
Rajeev Amarasuriya, President of the BASL, issued a strongly worded statement expressing the Association’s serious concern over the incident and its wider implications for police accountability and public confidence in the justice system.
He urged that the Acting Inspector General of Police initiate an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation to ascertain the true circumstances leading to the young man’s death.
Amarasuriya further highlighted that the BASL has, for many years, raised repeated concerns over law enforcement practices in Sri Lanka, emphasising the need for professionalism, restraint, and a commitment to upholding basic rights, particularly in custodial settings.
“When lives are lost in custody, especially under questionable conditions, it raises serious concerns about the state’s commitment to the rule of law,” he stated.
The incident is yet another addition to a troubling pattern of custodial deaths across the country, which the BASL claims continue unabated despite persistent calls for reform.
The Association expressed its disappointment at the failure of the authorities to implement concrete safeguards and ensure accountability in such cases.
According to Amarasuriya, the recurrence of such tragedies risks fostering a dangerous perception that impunity exists within the law enforcement system.
He cautioned that unless decisive action is taken, the public may lose faith in the institutions meant to protect them. “A state that fails to prevent custodial deaths, or delays justice for those affected, effectively sends the message that violations of rights carry no consequence,” he warned.
The BASL reaffirmed its support for a comprehensive zero-tolerance approach to custodial deaths and offered its cooperation to work with the police and other state institutions on reforms and training programmes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Association also called on civil society and international partners to continue engaging on these issues, stressing that the safeguarding of human rights within custodial environments is a fundamental obligation of any democratic society.
