Prisoner in quarantine dies in escape attempt at Kandy Bogambara prison

One prisoner was killed in Bogambara prison in Kandy last night. Five prisoners tried to escape and another prisoner was injured while one escaped, Prisons Commissioner-General Thushara Upuldeniya said. Prison officers have arrested two escapees, he said.

The deceased is identified as 30-year-old Abdul Raheem of Anuradhapura. He had succumbed to the injuries sustained due to the fall from the top of the prison wall, the Prisons Commissioner-General said. The other prisoner also sustained injuries due to fall, the official said. 

However, our studies on Sri Lanka's prisons indicate the prevalence of torture and brutality especially against the prisoners who attempt to escape. The incidents of prisoner deaths must be fairly investigated.

Update: The escaped prisoner was later arrested

Bogambara prison has been converted to a quarantine centre for the prisoners and over 400 prisoners undergo quarantine there. 

Over 500 prisoners in Sri Lanka are COVID-19 positive now. 

Bogambara prison and the land of five acres belonged to it in the heart of Kandy city was emptied from prisoners and the venue was transformed into a cultural and tourism centre named “Bogambara Cultural Park” by the previous government in 2019. 

According to Attractions in Sri Lanka website, "The Bogambara Prison was the second largest prison in Sri Lanka, the first being the Welikada Prison in Colombo. It was built by the British Ceylon Government in the year 1876. The prison complex has gallows and was one of the two prisons in Sri Lanka where the death penalty was implemented. The prison was closed down in 2014 and the building is open for public viewing as a historic monument. It is one of the oldest existing buildings in Kandy and located in Bogambara."

Supreme Court orders the government and police to pay Rs. 200,000 as damage for torturing a soldier

Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ordered the Officer-in-Charge of Hettipola police station and the Crime Officer-in-Charge of the same police station to pay Rs. 50,000 each personally as the damage for violating the human rights of a soldier.

Additionally, the government was ordered to pay another Rs. 100,000 as damage.  

The two officials arrested the soldier in July 2011 suspecting he had been an Army deserter and tortured him. His mother submitted a letter that stated he had legally resigned from the Army. But police continued to torture him and he was remanded for five months. 

The victim is Don Samantha Kumara. The judgment was delivered by a panel of Supreme Court judges comprising Priyantha Jayawardana, L.T.B. Dehideniya and S. Thurairajah. 

Police pays Rs. 200,000 damage to a tortured man in Anuradhapura

Supreme Court of Sri Lanka recently ordered the Inspector General of Police to pay the damage of Rs. 100,000 to a young man as compensation for violating his human rights by brutally assaulting and breaking an arm after taking him into custody on 25 September 2013. 

Two other police officers, the former Headquarters Inspector of Anuradhapura police station and a Sub Inspector were ordered to Rs. 50,000 each personally to the victim. These two police officers had assaulted the victim, broken bones in his shoulder and threatened to kill him and to arrest his family if he revealed facts about torture.

The bench of three judges of Supreme Court comprised of Buwaneka Aluvihare, Murdu Fernando and S.S. Thurairajah decided that the plaintiff's human rights under section 11 of the constitution have been violated. 

Counsel Thanuka Nandasiri appeared for the plaintiff. 

(Source: Lankadeepa Sinhala newspaper 5-11-2020)

Prisoner killed in Sri Lanka's Monaragala prison

A prisoner has been killed in Monaragala Prison of Sri Lanka's Uva Province by prison officials. 

The officials have assaulted the prisoner as a retaliation to an attack by the prisoner against an official on duty.

The deceased was identified as Ulupitiya Gamage Nilantha. He is a 42-year old man from Ampara. (Updated)