Police who are for Peoples’ security, brutally tortured women and children

In the face of heavy repression by the police, the event of “Commemoration of the deceased”, which was planned to be held by the activists yesterday – October 09, at the golf face green could not be carried out. Heated situations arose between the two parties due to the police interfering with the planned commemoration which was necessary for the activists without any public oppression. Frantic high police officers immediately arrested 06 people and brutally suppressed even the women and men who had small children.

The commemoration was planned to be held at the Galle Face Green yesterday, October 09 at 4:00 p. n memory of the Strugglers who lost their lives in the struggle that started last April based on the economic, political and social crisis that took place in the country, was not allowed to be held in the face of severe obstacles from the police, and the protesters were not allowed to do so at the command of the police. During the arguments that occurred due to disobedience, the high-ranking officers of the police rushed to the parents carrying small children and tried hard to arrest them.

Some protesters were chased from behind and arrested by Police high-rank officers. And sometimes, they pointed out some male protesters and ordered their lower-rank officers to “take him… take him” and arrested them.

Before the commemoration event started, the police informed protesters through loudspeakers to vacate the area. However, as the protesters did not comply, a heated situation arose between them and the police, and the police and riot squads worked to disperse the crowd gathered at the location.

The police officers who arrested the protestors publicly stated that they were arrested because they were cursing the police.

The request made by the police to prevent the protest that was planned to be held yesterday, 10th October at noon by the lawyer community and professionals in Sri Lanka against the police force took place on Sunday, had been rejected by the Court and the protest was held in the Galle Face green as planned last evening.

One of the protestors who stated that the police will not allow them to go to the protest land that has been reserved by the government for so long, said that the name board has also been removed from that place and that they are suppressing innocent citizens by using the police to stand up to the Ranil Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government.

Another protester who said that parents have the right to bring or not their own children to any place said that whatever the Police implement We all together stand up for our children’s future. “If we lose this opportunity, again our country goes to the devil,” he said.

In the meantime, the Young Journalists’ Association, which is submitting a complaint to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, requests that an urgent investigation be initiated in connection with the incident that occurred in Galle Face Green on Sunday and also requests the HRC to recommend that Sri Lanka Police violated basic human rights and the Inspector General of Police not to repress peaceful protests in the future.

According to reports, more than 4,000 persons have so far been arrested by the police and most are suspects in the May 9 violence. Among them, nearly 1,500 are in remand custody.