Civil society activists cry foul over killings in Police custody

  In a letter to the Inspector General of Police, 44 civil society activists and 14 organizations have demanded an independent investigation into the killing of suspects while in police custody. The civil society organizations and activists are urging IGP Chandana Wickremaratne to convert the Sri Lanka Police Department to an institute that respects human rights. The civil society activists signing the public petition included Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda, senior journalist Victor Ivan, Attorney-at-law Dr Nimalka Fernando, Fr. Rohan Silva, Dharmasiri Lankapeli, Ruki Fernando and Upali Kolambage. Fourteen other civil society organizations, including Sri Lanka Young Journalists' Association and Young Lawyers' Association, have also signed it. Police shot dead H.L. Lasantha alias Tinkering Lasantha in Kalutara on the 26th of November morning while being taken to recover hidden weapons. The letter calls for the enforcement of the law against all police officers responsible for the killings. These killings are despite the information about the unabated killings of the suspects in police custody. The letter states that Attorney-at-law Sanjaya Ariyadasa contacted the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), informing that he has instructions that his client is in the custody of the officers of the Kalutara Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau. He said he knew that his client would be killed in custody by the police. The letter also states that it is an insult to the law enforcement authorities since the incident occurred after the information reached the  IGP of the possibility of killing the suspects while in police custody.