Negombo Prison investigation must be prompt, independent and transparent, the UN Human Rights Office says, calling for truth and accountability.
The Negombo Prison investigation must uncover the truth and ensure accountability for recent violence within Sri Lanka’s prison system, the UN Human Rights Office has said.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued the statement from Geneva. It stressed that the government must conduct a prompt, independent and transparent inquiry into the deaths and injuries reported inside prisons.
The OHCHR expressed deep concern over clashes at several facilities, including Negombo Prison, and the subsequent deaths of inmates. It said authorities must deliver justice to the victims and their families.
The UN office added that every person or official responsible for the incidents must face the law, regardless of their position.
The statement identified severe overcrowding, inhumane detention conditions and long-standing systemic failures as major causes behind the violence. It also said the UN was closely monitoring the Sri Lankan government’s prison reform measures.
The OHCHR stressed that any Negombo Prison investigation into possible torture or ill-treatment must follow international standards.
It also called on Sri Lankan authorities to grant independent institutions, including the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, unrestricted access to prisons. Such access would allow those bodies to carry out their own inquiries.
Finally, the UN Human Rights Office urged authorities to publish the investigation findings. It said public disclosure would help strengthen trust in Sri Lanka’s justice process and demonstrate genuine accountability.
