A/HRC/7/3/Add.6
page 38
X. KANTALE POLICE STATION, KANTALE
(Visited on 5 October 2007)
47. Kantale Police Station has three cells where at the time of the visit two male detainees
were held. According to the police officers, a third detainee was taken out to an office in order to
record his statement. Kantale Police Station was often cited as a place where torture and illtreatment occurs (e.g. Mr. Zilmi, para. 36 above).
48. Yogaswaran Lakmanan, aged 27 years, Trincomalee. On 3 October 2007, he was
arrested on suspicion of LTTE membership (which often occurs when identity cannot be readily
established) on the Kantale Road. It is his first arrest, and he made no allegations of ill-treatment
or any kind of pressure. He reported that his father was aware that he has been arrested.
49. Mohamed Palel Riyal, aged 22. On 4 October 2007, he was arrested by the police on
suspicion of supporting the LTTE. He reported that he was involved in a fight and sustained
injuries, and was later arrested as he was seeking treatment at the hospital. He reported that he
was questioned by the arresting officer, and made no allegations of ill-treatment. His parents
have visited him, and he was provided food, water, and access to a toilet.
50. Detainee. In September 2007, he was arrested by the army at his home on suspicion of
membership in the LTTE. He was brought to the police headquarters, sent home the same day,
and told not to tell anybody that he had been arrested by the army. He was ordered to report to
the police station the next morning, and he has been detained there since. He was not given any
reasons for his arrest but thought that it was suspected that he had rejoined the LTTE. He is
questioned periodically by CID officers whether he had weapons or if he knew of anybody else
who had weapons. The police have threatened him that he would “not get out alive” if he did not
answer their questions, but he did not tell them anything. Sometimes, officers came to his cell at
night to question him through the bars. He reported that he is afraid to be killed by the army or
the police after being released. The army had killed twelve people in the course of one year and
had alleged that members of the Karuna group were the culprits. The ICRC has visited him but
not the NHRC. He reported that in general, Tamil detainees were not treated well. In 2002, he
was abducted by the LTTE and was forced to stay with them for 10 days. When he managed to
escape he reported the incident to the police, who ordered him to report to the police station
every week until the end of 2003.
XI. POLONNARUWA POLICE STATION, POLONNARUWA
(Visited on 5 October 2007)
51. Polonnaruwa Police Station has six detention cells, three of which are not in use (i.e. are
being used for weapons storage), and at the time of the visit of the Special Rapporteur, there
were no detainees. The Special Rapporteur is informed that 14 detainees had been brought to
Court the same morning. Generally, it was reported, no one is detained under the Emergency
Rules at this police station. Police Constable R.M.K. Rasnayake, reported that the toilets in
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