HRCSL Reviews Measures To Prevent Recurrence Of Prison Violence

COLOMBO (News 1st): A discussion has been held between the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the relevant authorities regarding the prevention of violence within prisons, following the unrest that occurred recently in several prisons, including Negombo and Mahara.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka stated that the meeting was attended by representatives of the Secretaries to the Ministries of Defense, Justice, and Public Security, a Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, a Deputy Inspector General representing the Inspector General of Police, the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons, and several prison commissioners.

During the meeting, attention was drawn to the report published by the Human Rights Commission following a comprehensive study on prisons and detention centers conducted in 2018, as well as the recommendations issued in 2020.

Discussions primarily focused on the safety of inmates and prison officers, prison overcrowding, and the lack of adequate sanitation and water facilities.

The Acting Commissioner General of Prisons informed the Human Rights Commission that steps are being taken to construct new prisons in Bogambara and Mahamodara, relocate the Galle, Matara, and Wariyapola prisons to more spacious locations and construct new buildings at the Kalutara and Boossa prisons.

Prison department officials further stated that measures are being taken to amend the relevant laws and introduce appropriate technological measures to facilitate alternatives to detention, such as community service and house arrest, in order to address the issue of overcrowding