Sri Lanka: Information since January 1989 on reports of human rights lawyers who file habeas corpus applications in Colombo being threatened and/or beaten and killed by the military; on whether Kanchana Abeypala, Lanka Devapura, Wijedasa Liyanaarachchi, Sarath Rathnayake, Wanapala Ranatunga and Sanath Karaliyadde were human rights lawyers and information on how they were killed and by whom
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1997 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LKA25755.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sri Lanka: Information since January 1989 on reports of human rights lawyers who file habeas corpus applications in Colombo being threatened and/or beaten and killed by the military; on whether Kanchana Abeypala, Lanka Devapura, Wijedasa Liyanaarachchi, Sarath Rathnayake, Wanapala Ranatunga and Sanath Karaliyadde were human rights lawyers and information on how they were killed and by whom, 1 January 1997, LKA25755.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad236f.html [accessed 25 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
For general information on the treatment of lawyers who file habeas corpus applications, please consult the attachments. Additional information can be found in the 1989 edition of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR) Critique, available at Regional Documentation Centres.
According to sources, lawyer Kanchana Abhayapala was killed at home on 28 August 1989 by unidentified gunmen (CIJL 1990, 87; AI 31 Aug. 1989; ibid. 29 Aug. 1989). He had been threatened on 7 July 1989 (ibid. 12 July 1989; CIJL 1990, 87) that he would be killed if he filed one more habeas corpus petition (ibid.; AI 12 July 1989). Please consult Response to Information Request LKA2558 of 26 October 1989 for additional information on Abhayapala.
Lawyer Sarath Karalliyadda was taken into custody on 26 October 1989 by at least one man, reportedly in army uniform, and was found dead the following day(LCHR July 1990, 207-8; AI 30 Oct. 1989). Karalliyadda lived in Teldeniya town, approximately 10 miles from Kandy (ibid.). He had acted as a lawyer for a 16 year old student who had been shot by police in June 1989 (ibid.; LCHR July 1990, 207-8). In a February 1990 Amnesty International (AI) report, Karalliyadda's first name is given as "Sanath" (4). According to AI, seven Teldeniya policemen were questioned in a magisterial inquiry into Karalliyadda's death (30 Oct. 1989).
According to sources, Attorney-at-Law Wijedasa Liyanarachchi died on 2 or 3 September 1988 at Colombo General Hospital (AI 9 Sept. 1988; CIJL 1989, 37; HRW Dec. 1988, 183;) in police custody (ibid.). He had been arrested by the Counter Subversion Unit of Tangall on 25 August 1988, was detained at Tangall police station then brought to the Counter Terrorism Unit in Sapugaskande in Colombo (AI 9 Sept. 1988). Shortly before he died, Liyanarachchi claimed to have been tortured by police (ibid.). Sources report that Liyanarachchi had represented suspected guerrilla members (CIJL 1990, 86; HRW Dec. 1988, 183). On 6 September 1988, the High Court was given permission to hold a public inquiry into Liyanarachchi's death (ibid.). According to two sources, November 1988 Sri Lankan press reports indicated that the Police Superintendent responsible for Liyanarachchi's arrest had been charged with murder (CIJL 1989, 37; HRW Dec. 1988, 183). On 23 March 1992, Deputy Inspector General of Police Premadasa Udugampola's passport was impounded, he was ordered by a court to report to police investigators for an inquiry into Liyanarachchi's death and was forbidden to leave the country (Reuters 23 Mar. 1992).
Information on Lanka Devapura, Sarath Rathnayake and Wanapala Ranatunga could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Amnesty International (AI). February 1990. Sri Lanka: Summary of Human Rights Concerns. (AI Index: ASA 37/03/90). London: Amnesty International
_____. 30 October 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Extrajudicial Execution/Death Threats: Sarath Karalliyadda and Parakrama Ranasinghe. (AI Index: ASA 37/18/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 31 August 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Correction to Follow-Up on UA 239/89 (ASA 37/14/89, issued on 29 August 1989)-Death Threats/Extrajudicial Executions: Kanchana Abhayapala, Prins Gunasekara, Charitha Lanakpura. London: Amnesty International.
_____. 29 August 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Further Information on UA 239/89 (ASA 37/08/89. 12 July) and Follow-Ups (ASA 37/10/89, 2 August, and ASA 37/12/89, 18 August) - Death Threats/Extrajudicial Executions: Kanchana Abhayapala, Prins Gunasekara, Charitha Lankapura. (AI Index: ASA 37/14/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 12 July 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Death Threats/Possible Extrajudicial Execution: Prins Gunasekara, Kanchana Abhayapala, Charitha Lankapura. (AI Index: ASA 37/08/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 9 September 1988. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Death in Custody: Wijedasa Liyanarachchi, Lawyer. (AI Index: ASA 37/06/88). London: Amnesty International.
Committee for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL). 1990. Attacks on Justice: The Harassment and Persecution of Judges and Lawyers July 1989-June 1990. Geneva: CIJL.
_____. 1989. The Harassment and Persecution of Judges and Lawyers January 1988-June 1989. Geneva: CIJL.
Human Rights Watch (HRW). December 1988. The Persecution of Human Rights Monitors: December 1987 to December 1988: A World Survey. New York: HRW.
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR). July 1990. Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1989. New York: LCHR.
Reuters. 23 March 1992. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan Police Officer's Passport Impounded." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Amnesty International (AI). February 1990. Sri Lanka: Summary of Human Rights Concerns. (AI Index: ASA 37/03/90). London: Amnesty International, p. 4.
_____. 21 November 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Prins Gunasekera. (AI Index: ASA 37/20/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 30 October 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Extrajudicial Execution/Death Threats: Sarath Karalliyadda and Parakrama Ranasinghe. (AI Index: ASA 37/18/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 31 August 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Correction to Follow-Up on UA 239/89 (ASA 37/14/89, issued on 29 August 1989)-Death Threats/Extrajudicial Executions: Kanchana Abhayapala, Prins Gunasekara, Charitha Lanakpura. London: Amnesty International.
_____. 29 August 1989. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Further Information on UA 239/89 (ASA 37/08/89. 12 July) and Follow-Ups (ASA 37/10/89, 2 August, and ASA 37/12/89, 18 August) - Death Threats/Extrajudicial Executions: Kanchana Abhayapala, Prins Gunasekara, Charitha Lankapura. (AI Index: ASA 37/14/89). London: Amnesty International.
_____. May 1989. Sri Lanka: Continuing Human Rights Violations. (AI Index: ASA 37/04/89). London: Amnesty International, pp. 12-13.
_____. November 1988. Sri Lanka: Government Suspends the Indemnity Bill. (AI Index: ASA 37/07/88). London: Amnesty International.
_____. 9 September 1988. Urgent Action: Sri Lanka: Death in Custody: Wijedasa Liyanarachchi, Lawyer. (AI Index: ASA 37/06/88). London: Amnesty International.
Committee for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL). 1991. Attacks on Justice: The Harassment and Persecution of Judges and Lawyers June 1990-May 1991. Geneva: CIJL, pp. 107-08.
_____. 1990. Attacks on Justice: The Harassment and Persecution of Judges and Lawyers July 1989-June 1990. Geneva: CIJL, pp. 85-90.
_____. 1989. The Harassment and Persecution of Judges and Lawyers January 1988-June 1989. Geneva: CIJL, p. 37.
The New York Times. 2 August 1989. Late Edition-Final. Steven Erlanger. "Sri Lanka Strife: 'Guns and Bitterness.'" (NEXIS)
Reuters. 23 March 1992. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan Police Officer's Passport Impounded." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
CIJL (Committee for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers) Yearbook. Yearly. 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1990, 1991, 1992.
Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994.
DIRB. "Sri Lanka: Amnesty International" country file. 1988-1989.
FBIS internet search.
Human Rights Watch World Report. Yearly. 1990, 1995, 1996.
In Defense of Rights: Attacks on Lawyers and Judges. Yearly. 1991, 1992.
On-line search of media sources.
