A group consisting of lawyers and representatives from the Lanka Spa Association has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that the identities of women arrested during recent police raids on spas in the Thalawathugoda area were unlawfully exposed, violating their fundamental rights.
The complaint was filed by the Association for the Protection of Public Rights, which said it had also decided to lodge a complaint with the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), calling for a disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of the officers involved.
Attorney Susantha Gunawardena said the women were publicly identified through photographs and videos despite only being suspects.
“Under the Constitution, every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Publicly displaying the faces and identities of these women is humiliating them. They are still only suspects before the law,” he said.
He urged the HRCSL to conduct an impartial investigation into the alleged rights violations and called on the Acting IGP to determine whether police officers had intentionally acted in a manner that infringed on the women’s rights.
Lanka Spa Association Director also criticised the handling of the raids, saying women working in the sector had been unfairly humiliated.
“These women are being treated like criminals who have committed serious offences. They were left completely helpless,” she said.
She added that many spa workers had undergone professional training but continued to face arrests during such operations.
The complaint follows recent raids by the Walana Central Anti-Vice Strike Force on nine establishments allegedly operating as brothels under the guise of massage centres in the Thalawathugoda area. According to media reports, 43 people, including 34 women, were arrested during the operation. (Newswire)