The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has voiced serious concern over the death of a youth while in the custody of the Welikada Police in the early hours of April 2, 2025.
According to reports, the youth sustained fatal injuries while in custody, allegedly self-inflicted, and was said to have been in an unstable mental condition at the time. He was later transferred to the Mulleriyawa Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In a statement issued on behalf of the BASL, its President, Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, expressed deep concern over the circumstances surrounding the incident and its wider implications for law enforcement accountability and public confidence in the justice system.
“The BASL calls upon the Acting Inspector General of Police to ensure the conduct of an immediate and impartial investigation into this incident,” Amarasuriya said.
“The BASL will closely monitor developments and take any necessary measures to ensure due process is upheld and the rule of law protected.”
Amarasuriya reiterated that the BASL has long warned law enforcement agencies—including the Sri Lanka Police—of the urgent need to act with the utmost care, caution, and responsibility when handling individuals in custody.
“These incidents erode trust and confidence in the system of administration of justice,” he added.
Despite repeated calls for reform, the BASL expressed regret that custodial deaths continue to occur, and that authorities have been slow to take meaningful and effective preventive action.
“The repetition of such incidents will lead to the allegation of a climate of impunity on the part of the State, which is most detrimental to all citizens of this country,” the BASL President warned.
The BASL reaffirmed its support for a zero-tolerance policy on custodial deaths and expressed its willingness to collaborate with law enforcement agencies—including the Sri Lanka Police—in capacity-building and preventive measures to ensure such tragedies do not recur.
