No Conclusions Yet on Negombo Prison Deaths, Violence

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) says it has not yet reached any conclusions regarding the investigations into the violence at Negombo Prison and the circumstances that led to the deaths and injuries of inmates and prison officers.In a statement, the Commission said it is currently assessing evidence, including statements obtained from inmates and prison officials.The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka's officers have observed that several inmates who were transferred from Negombo Prison to other prisons had sustained injuries.The Human Rights Commission also noted that there had been delays in providing medical treatment to some of these inmates.The Commission emphasized that injured prisoners must receive medical treatment without delay and warned that any systematic delay in providing such treatment could amount to a form of retaliation.Referring to the refusal to allow Commission officials access to Welikada Prison on July 7, the Human Rights Commission stated that the action amounted to a violation of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No. 21 of 1996.The Commission further stressed that such action had seriously undermined its statutory authority to conduct necessary investigations into prison welfare, particularly when allegations and information relating to torture and other forms of ill-treatment have emerged.According to the statement, although the Commission was granted unrestricted access to Welikada Prison on July 8, the refusal of entry on July 7 at a critical stage deprived it of the opportunity to conduct an effective and timely investigation into the allegations.The statement further noted that the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons and the Chief Jailer of Welikada Prison have been summoned before the Human Rights Commission to explain the circumstances that led to the denial of access to the prison on July 7.