Magistrate condemns inhumane treatment of remanded suspects: Orders end to shackling in Open Court

2 January 2025 10:23 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 16 Bookmark

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Colombo, January 2 (Daily Mirror) - Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena today advised prison officials not to treat remanded suspects like animals, stressing that they should not be chained together while being brought to open court.

He reminded officials that individuals in remand custody are also human beings and deserve to be treated with dignity.

The Additional Magistrate made these remarks after observing a group of suspects brought into the courtroom shackled in chains.

"I do not agree with suspects being chained like animals and presented to the court. They are human beings and should be treated as such," the Additional Magistrate stated in open court.

He further advised that remand prisoners should be kept in the court cell in accordance with proper procedures.

Comments - 16

ICC Thursday, 02 January 2025 11:28 PM

I THING SL INDIPENDENT FROM BRITISH 1948 ?

1 1

Grace Friday, 03 January 2025 12:25 AM

Good advice but very late. Better to be late than never.

1 11

Justice Friday, 03 January 2025 01:54 AM

This act of the judicial should be commended. All too often in the name of law and order people are degraded to worse than animals.

0 12

wickrama Wijayasiri Friday, 03 January 2025 02:13 AM

Why the double standard. Have not observed VIP's and politicians in remand custody treated as observed by the magistrate?

0 9

Pathmaranjan Friday, 03 January 2025 02:35 AM

Well said. Hats off to Magistrate.

0 15

Victor Friday, 03 January 2025 06:22 AM

It’s good to have high standards, but someone must pay, do magistrates pay taxes? Then you will need more officers. I hope he is not talking with blinkers on.Please First allocate the funds then make good decisions. Then you are a good judge.

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Dr Tissa Fernando Friday, 03 January 2025 06:17 PM

Allocation of funds is not the responsibility of judiciary. They only give judgement based on existing laws. Suspects are not necessarily criminals , so, they need to have protection and dignity while in remand. These inhumane treatments have not deterred criminals doing their acts. So , a complete new perspective is required to change this. I think NPP has the ability to do that.

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Sokrates Friday, 03 January 2025 07:57 AM

Why did it need a judge's order to stop this abuse? Not so long ago, slaves were driven hundreds of kilometres to the slave ships in this way. But this is only a very small glimpse of light in the terrible treatment, rather forced treatment of prisoners in Sri Lanka. The next step is to demolish the centuries-old colonial prison buildings and build modern buildings with individual cells to provide humane accommodation for prisoners, as is customary in Western countries. Sri Lanka can take on a pioneering role for many Asian and African countries.

3 8

Gx Friday, 03 January 2025 08:49 AM

Perfectly well said.

1 10

Gabriella Friday, 03 January 2025 09:26 AM

Also most remand prisoners have not being convicted of a crime. They could all be innocent men like Mullakheliya. BTW will his case be heard in our lifetime ?

0 7

Gayan Friday, 03 January 2025 11:53 AM

Expediting court cases will also reduce the inconvenience to the parties and public.

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Dr Dilshan Silva Friday, 03 January 2025 03:17 PM

But for extremely difficult prisoners, this advice is not suitable I guess when we see the things happenning around the world.

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martin Friday, 03 January 2025 08:38 PM

How come our all wise president didnt order this?

1 0

Lalith de Kauwe Friday, 03 January 2025 08:45 PM

Dear Fritz, Thank you for your concern for the necessity for judges with integrity. This article serves to highlight the callousness of the judicial system and the desperate necessity for Penal Reform in Sri Lanka. Prisons or rather penal colonies were were a symbol of omnipotent British power. Built in 19th century by the British, not to imprison criminals but to stifle dissent and incarcerate true patriots. In 2025, nearly 77 years after independence, the penal system is in awful disrepair, disgustingly unsanitary and inhumanely overcrowded. The unfortunate inhabitants are poor men, women and children. These iniquitous institutions are testament to rampant miscarriages of justice and perverse rules of law practiced by lawyers who are more interested in money than the interests of their clients. 4 February 2025 marks 77 Years since the British departed and Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon.

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Lalith de Kauwe Friday, 03 January 2025 11:58 PM

Parents are imprisoned for failing to pay paltry fines. In 2022, 64% of prisoners were sentenced to prison for failing to pay fines. The daily maintenance of these prisons costs more than the fines that are unpaid, contributing to overcrowding. Penal reform is long overdue and not imprisoning unnecessarily.

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melville perera Saturday, 04 January 2025 08:49 AM

belated observation though and reminds me of the stories of Charles Dickens era also there are a lack of co-ordinated seminars between courts/legal professionals/prison officials/hospital staff, etc., concerning respect and treatment of prisoners whatever the offence. The black maria is bad enough but transporting them under such conditions based under "rajakariya era mentality" is inhuman. How come some VIP prisoners are transported in private vans the and the magistrate's observation in this instance is commended and will be appreciated by all at large.

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