Out of the Silence: New Evidence of Ongoing Torture in Sri Lanka

Freedom from Torture has released a report showing that there is still evidence of ongoing torture inSri Lanka.


Key findings of the report

Through the detailed examination of evidence of torture which took place between May 2009 and early 2011, as documented in the case sample of 35 completed medico-legal reports prepared by Freedom from Torture, this report demonstrates:

·         Torture perpetrated by state actors within both the military and police has continued in Sri Lanka after the conflict ended in May 2009 and is still occurring in 2011;

·         Those at particular risk of torture include Tamils who have an actual or perceived association with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE);

·         A variety of different types of torture have been perpetrated in a significant number of locations aroundSri Lanka during the post-conflict period;

·         A wide range of different forms of torture have been used, often in combination, to inflict severe suffering on victims of torture with devastating psychological and physical consequences;

·         Many Sri Lankan torture victims are left with visible scarring attributable to both blunt force trauma and burns which suggests impunity for perpetrators of torture inSri Lanka.