Prolonged detention, two percent conviction rate, grim human rights Issue, says Wajira
– United National Party (UNP) Chairman Wajira Abeywardena said that though a person can be held under arrest or detained for a prolonged period until investigations are completed, yet Sri Lanka’s conviction rate stands at only two percent—implying that the vast majority of those arrested ultimately experience violations of their rights.Speaking at an event at the BMICH to mark International Human Rights Day, he noted that conviction rates stand at 57–58 percent in India and as high as 98 percent in Japan.
“In our country, investigative officers simply implement laws that were formulated elsewhere. After World War II, new international institutions were created, but we must now ask whether these institutions remain appropriate in today’s context. Human rights conditions differ according to the economic strength of each country. It is a sad reality. These institutions should take such disparities into account,” he said.
He added, “Our Constitution specifies that it is permissible to keep a person under arrest or detained until investigations are completed. If someone is held for periods ranging from three months to 25 years before the judiciary delivers a final ruling, it is still not considered a rights violation in that sense. It is time to address this. I hope every institution concerned will pay due attention.”
