By Kelum Bandara

The government has worked out a new piece of legislation which, once enacted, will provide for magistrates to visit police stations once a month to ensure the safety of those in custody in keeping with the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act, Daily Mirror.  

The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill has been gazetted at the moment before presentation to Parliament for enactment   

According to the bill, It is the duty of every Magistrate to visit police stations situated in his respective judicial division, at least once every month to ensure that  suspects under police custody at such police stations are protected to the extent provided for in the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act.  

 The magistrate who visits the police stations will see the suspects, and look into their well-being, welfare and conditions under which they are held at such police stations. In case of observations of torture, the suspects can be referred to a judicial medical officer or a government medical officer for medical examination.