The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) said that it was investigating 44 complaints related to the controversial ‘Yukthiya’ operation, which have raised concerns over the fairness of arrests and treatment of suspects.
HRCSL Commissioner Nimal Punchihewa said that out of 9,417 complaints received against the Police in 2023, 44 pertained to incidents that had occurred within the ‘Yukthiya’ operation.
“The HRCSL will conduct thorough investigations to ascertain the legality and fairness of the arrests made under the operation,” he said.
Furthermore, Punchihewa revealed that 24 suspects had died while in Police custody last year, with an additional two fatalities reported within the last two months.
A recent statement issued by the HRCSL highlighted a surge in complaints related to torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary arrests associated with the ‘Yukthiya’ operation. Accordingly, over 20,000 suspects had been apprehended between 17 and 31 December 2023.
Describing the operation as “associated with reports of widespread injustice,” the HRCSL criticised the use of the term ‘Yukthiya’ (which translates to ‘justice’ in Sinhala), suggesting that the operation’s actions contradicted its purported goal of delivering justice.
The HRCSL’s scrutiny of the ‘Yukthiya’ operation comes amid mounting criticism and calls for accountability regarding alleged human rights violations and abuses committed during the operation.
