HRCSL criticises Sri Lanka's arbitrary arrests

by Abi
Jul 4, 2019

Sri Lanka’s human rights commission has criticised police for arbitrary and illegal arrests in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks.

Hundreds have been arrested in the months following the attacks, with Sri Lankan police receiving high profile criticism for cases such as that of a Muslim woman arrested for wearing a dress which supposedly insulted Buddhism, and a Muslim doctor arrested following a smear campaign by a Sinhala newspaper.

“Arrests should not be made merely on hearsay,” the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) told Sri Lanka’s acting police chief, noting that the commission had received a number of complaints alleging illegal arrests.

The commission found that in most cases police only conducted investigations after carrying out arrests.

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