Three separate incidents involving inmates being shot, allegedly tortured, and dying have been reported within a single week, prompting the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners to issue an urgent appeal to Justice Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara to intervene.

“The first incident occurred at the Borella Magazine Prison on 27 April, where an inmate was allegedly killed during a dispute with another prisoner. The second took place on the afternoon of 3 May, when two inmates attempted to escape the same facility. Prison officers opened fire to prevent the escape, injuring one inmate. In the third case, a 40-year-old inmate who had escaped from the Welikada Prison was found dead outside the Prison premises on 3 May,” a press release by the Committee alleged.

In response to this escalating violence, the Committee has called on the Justice Minister to address long-standing systemic failures within the country’s prison system. When contacted, Committee President, attorney Senaka Perera told The Daily Morning that overcrowding and neglect by jailors, who he said are failing to meet legal standards of care, are creating a volatile environment inside prisons. 

“Two prison massacres have occurred in Sri Lanka so far. After those, two committees were appointed, and they offered recommendations to prevent such events. Yet, those recommendations are being totally ignored,” Perera said. He added that the three core pillars of the Prisons Ordinance - custody, care, and rehabilitation - remain confined to the law books, with little implementation on the ground. 

Perera also raised questions about the second incident, casting doubt on whether the inmates were genuinely attempting to escape or had been assigned work outside the Prison by the Prisons Department, only to be caught and killed. He urged the Justice Ministry to take immediate action to protect the rights and safety of inmates, stressing that the State is legally bound to do so.

Attempts to contact the Prison Media Spokesperson, Jagath Weerasinghe proved futile.