Freedom from Torture documents continuing torture in Sri Lanka
Freedom from Torture, the UK-based human rights organisation, is calling for urgent action by the Government of Sri Lanka to end ongoing torture. The charity publishes new information as the joint visit to Sri Lanka by UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture, Professor Juan Méndez, and on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Mónica Pinto, comes to an end on Saturday.
The Sri Lankan Government has made encouraging commitments to delivering truth, justice and reconciliation. However, while torture is still being practised any efforts towards long-term stability are undermined. The number of referrals Freedom from Torture has received for people tortured since the January 2015 presidential election is deeply worrying.
Ann Hannah, International Advocate and Researcher at Freedom from Torture, said:
"We support our clients’ clear demand for an internationalised justice process for torture and other serious human rights abuses which took place during and after the civil war and this has to be coupled with measures to stop others from suffering the same horrific treatment that they survived.
Our clinical evidence shows that torture continues in Sri Lanka under President Sirisena. Ahead of scrutiny by the Human Rights Council in June, we hope that the Government will announce a credible and effective torture prevention programme as part of efforts to fully implement its international commitments and build a sustainable peace.
We are also extremely concerned about our mounting evidence of Sri Lankan Tamils tortured after return from the UK. Many were interrogated about the activities of the Tamil diaspora in this country. The Home Office must urgently update its policy to recognise our evidence of ongoing torture and the particular risks faced by those returning from the UK with a real or perceived past connection to the LTTE, at whatever level and whether directly or through a family member or acquaintance."
Background
In 2015, for the fourth year running, Sri Lanka was the top country of origin for people referred to our services. Freedom from Torture’s report, Tainted Peace, published in August 2015, reported on 148 Sri Lankan cases forensically documented by its Medical Legal Service between May 2009 and August 2014. Since then the charity has completed medico legal reports (MLRs) on a further 100 cases.
In addition, Freedom from Torture has received 17 referrals, to either its Medico-Legal Service or its therapeutic treatment services, for people - including a child in one case - tortured after President Sirisena’s election in January 2015. They have reported torture by a range of state actors, including the Criminal Investigation Department, the Terrorism Investigation Department, the police, “security” and the army.
Freedom from Torture is especially concerned about Sri Lankan Tamils tortured on return from the UK. Our Tainted Peace study included 55 people tortured in these circumstances. This practice continues. Four of the 17 referrals received by the charity for torture since the Sri Lankan presidential election in 2015 involved torture after return from the UK. We have now completed medico-legal reports for a total of 66 people detained and tortured after returning to Sri Lanka from the UK in the post-war period (including one of the four referrals described above). The majority were questioned about their reasons for being in the UK, their activities and/or their contacts in the UK.
The UK Home Office is currently reviewing its asylum policy on the risk to Tamils.
Follow our International Advocate and Researcher Ann Hannah on Twitter for further comment: Twitter.com/avh16.
Update 11 May 2016: read our response to the statement of UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Freedom from Torture is continuing to use the Tainted Peace report to advocate for torture prevention to be a central part of engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka ahead of the June UN Human Rights Council update.
