The BAR Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has raised concerns over the death of an individual at the Angunukolapelessa Prison recently.
Issuing a statement, BASL said the suspect had been remanded on contempt of court charges following an incident at the Embilipitiya Court, where he had presented himself as a surety for a friend.
Expressing concern over the suspect’s demise within less than 48 hours of being remanded, BASL pointed out that the postmortem examination reveals injuries to the head, which raises questions about his treatment while under Police and Prison custody.
As such, BASL has called for an immediate, impartial, and independent investigation into the circumstances of this death that took place in custody and accountability for all those whose actions or omissions contributed to this miscarriage of justice.
BASL has further called for a systematic review of the exercise of contempt powers and remand procedures to ensure they are applied consistently with constitutional guarantees, human rights standards, and the basic tenets of fairness. (Newswire)
