Sri Lanka’s Still Plagued by Torture and Appalling Human Rights Violations

I finally got around to reading Freedom from Torture’s latest report on Sri Lanka. This relatively brief offering is a compelling reminder that systemic torture in the country remains a major problem.

Many won’t be surprised to learn that “[i]n 2018 Sri Lanka was — for the seventh successive year — the top country of origin for torture survivors referred to Freedom from Torture for clinical services and medico-legal reports. Since the end of the civil war in 2009, 2,316 Sri Lankan survivors have been referred to Freedom from Torture.”

The document is based on 16 cases — all Tamils.

Freedom from Torture notes that “[t]welve people were held naked or partially naked during detention, nine of whom were also raped. Others were sexually assaulted and forced to perform sexual acts. Seven men experienced genital trauma, including kicking, punching, beating, squeezing, and/or twisting of the genitals, or use of a ligature tied around the penis. Chilli powder was also used around the genitals to induce a burning sensation in one case. One person was subjected to sexual torture in front of witnesses and the assault was filmed.”

Perpetrators of these horrific crimes deserve to be held accountable. Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.