UNP raises concerns over treatment of detained former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay

Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Chief Suresh Sallay 

The United National Party (UNP) has expressed concern over the treatment of Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Chief Suresh Sallay following his arrest and hospitalisation, alleging that his treatment may violate constitutional and international human rights protections. The party called for authorities to ensure that all actions taken against Sallay are carried out in accordance with the law, the Constitution, and Sri Lanka’s international obligations, while urging greater scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding his detention and medical care.

“Former SIS Chief Major General Suresh Sallay has been arrested and is currently admitted to the Colombo National Hospital due to his health condition. The wife and son of Major General Suresh Sallay have now publicly disclosed the facts regarding his medical condition. Based on the details they have revealed, it can be concluded that the health condition of the former Chief of State Intelligence is not good,” a statement issued by the party noted.

It added that after working in Malaysia, Sallay served the country as the Chief of SIS during the administrations of former Presidents’ Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe. “During that period, at no time were allegations leveled against Sallay like the ones being leveled today.”

The UNP said the issue today is not whether he is involved in or responsible for the allegations being charged against him. The issue today is how an arrested person is being treated.

“According to the information received since the hospitalisation of Sallay, it indicates that he has been treated in the most inhumane manner. The torture and inhuman treatment of an arrested person is completely contrary to Article 11 of the Constitution. It is also a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966,” it reads.

The party notes that an arrested person should be treated in a manner that is consistent with Article 11 of the Constitution and the above international covenant. Otherwise, the problem will not end here. This incident has already reached the attention of the international community.

Section 9(b)(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) states that it is the responsibility of the Magistrate “to ensure that the suspect is entitled to the protection provided by the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, No. 22 of 1994.”

Accordingly, any interrogation conducted in violation of the Act and the Constitution can be considered as Contempt of Court and legal liability will be incurred in this regard.

The UNP strongly condemns the treatment of Sallay in violation of the Constitution and international conventions.

“Since this is an issue that has reached the attention of the international community, it is appropriate to send a Parliamentary team to examine the treatment of Sallay. We also see the dangerous situation here. If the treatment of Sallay is normalised, the same situation will be applicable to opposition groups as well. It is a very dangerous trend,” it added.

The statement also noted that at a time when the NPP Government is making a huge effort to control the Buddhist religion, this trend may also be implemented against Buddhist monks. All these situations have received the close attention of the United National Party.

“The UNP is very vigilant about the way the Government is acting in this regard,” it stated.