Jaffna HRC summons Jaffna Prison officers alleged of attacking political prisoners

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2010, 16:37 GMT]
Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) Coordinating Officer, T. Kanagarajah has summoned the Assistant Superintendent of Jaffna Prison and the prison guards alleged of assaulting eight political prisoners on 30 April, on the basis of statements from the victims presently receiving treatment in Jaffna Teaching Hospital on the orders of Jaffna magistrate, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna magistrate court too had directed Jaffna police to record the statements of the eight victims and to submit the report immediately. Meanwhile, the prison guards who had attacked the political prisoners are all Tamils, the sources said.

The prison officer and the guards are directed to present themselves at Jaffna HRC office for inquiry.

Earlier, Jaffna magistrate, informed of the attack on eight political prisoners held in Jaffna Prison by prison officials and guards on 30 April, ordered the victims to be admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) for treatment.

The victims who were among 60 fellow prisoners locked in a cell had tried to escape, Jaffna prison authorities claimed.

One of the relatives of the victims had informed Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna officials of the attack on the political prisoners and they being refused medical treatment by prison authorities.

The eight political prisoners suffering with fractured bones and some of them passing blood with urine were admitted to JTH Wednesday morning, hospital.