May 4 – A 40-year-old inmate of the Welikada Prison, identified as Oshadha Sanjeewa, has reportedly died following an alleged assault by prison officers, raising concerns over the treatment of prisoners in Sri Lanka’s prison system.
According to the Committee for the Protection of Prisoner Rights, the deceased was a resident of Magazine Road, Borella, who had been serving a prison sentence on a drug-related charge. Reports state that he had previously escaped while assigned to duties outside the prison premises and was later re-arrested at his residence.
The organization alleges that Sanjeewa was assaulted by prison officers after being taken back into custody. He was admitted to the prison hospital yesterday (03) and died in the early hours of this morning (04).
However, Police Media Spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police Udaya Kumara stated that the inmate had fallen ill following a scuffle with prison officers and later died while receiving treatment.
It is also reported that the inmate was due to be released later this month after completing a three-month prison sentence.
The incident comes amid growing scrutiny over violence inside prisons. On the 27th of last month, another inmate died following an assault at Magazine Prison. In connection with that incident, five prison officers, including a jailer, were arrested and remanded.
Human rights activists and prisoner rights groups have repeatedly called for independent investigations into custodial deaths and allegations of torture and abuse within Sri Lankan prisons.
