Human Rights Commission questions the Justice of Operation Yukthiya

Colombo (News 1st) - The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has expressed grave concerns on Monday (8th) over Operation Yukthiya, the ongoing anti-narcotics drive that has seen over 20,000 people arrested within two weeks.

The Commission said that it "is disturbed to learn of reports of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of persons, including young persons, during search operations conducted by the police."

"The Commission notes that the continued implementation of the ‘Yukthiya’ Operation with the professed object of advancing ‘justice’ remains incongruous, given the systemic failure of law enforcement authorities in Sri Lanka to uphold justice and to respect the fundamental rights of the People," the HRCSL said in a statement.

The Commission warned that "the Constitution guarantees to every person the freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, the right not to be deprived of liberty except on the order of a judge, the right to a fair trial, and the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty respectively. The overzealous arrest and detention of persons, the seizure and destruction of private property, and the forced search of persons and premises under the guise of combating drug trafficking and organised crime risk the systematic infringement of these fundamental rights across the country."

The HRCSL further noted that the spate of arrests and detentions under Yukthiya will no doubt exacerbate the problem of overcrowding of prisons.