|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 17 November 2002 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Call to stop torture by police, forces - AI The international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has urged the Government to take action to end the practice of torture by the police and the armed forces. In a letter to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Amnesty International has called for the implementation of recommendations made by the UN Committee against Torture (CAT) following the submission to the UN General Assembly of a report of that Committee's inquiry into allegations of "a systematic practice of torture in Sri Lanka", an AI news communique said. "We have had a long-standing concern about torture, including rape, reported both in the context of the armed conflict and routine police investigations," Amnesty International wrote in its letter to the PM, according to the communique. The AI communique adds:Amnesty International urged a thorough and impartial review of the role of the police, magistrates and doctors in relation to the prevention and investigation of torture. The organisation also called for the setting up of an investigative body fully independent of the police with necessary powers and expertise required to open criminal investigations wherever there is a reasonable ground to believe torture has been committed. "No perpetrators of torture have so far been convicted in a criminal court, despite the reported filing of some cases," Amnesty International added in its letter.The organization appreciates that some measures have already been taken, including the instructions sent to the Inspector General of Police to all police units that under no circumstances should torture be permitted, and the setting up of the "Prosecution of Torture Perpetrators Unit" in the Attorney-General's Department. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
