Public Security Minister seeks to assist cops who get into trouble in the line of duty

Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera says that human rights violation charges have been levelled against some policemen for performing their duties. He has pledged that his Ministry will introduce a mechanism to provide relief to the officers concerned.

Speaking at a ceremony in Kandy on Saturday to launch a community police promotional programme, the Minister said that amendments would be introduced to the Establishments Code to provide relief to police officers who receive charge sheets for alleged human rights violations in the line of duty.

Minister Weerasekera said discussions in this regard would be held with the IGP on the issue.

The Minister pointed out instances where several human rights cases had been filed against police officers for carrying out their duties. In such cases there were delays in investigations and the accused policemen had to undergo difficulties because of those delays. For instance, when recent ASP promotions were given there were 35 such officers who had been given charge sheets in respect of alleged human rights violations as they had discharged their duties as per the instructions of their senior officers.

Their promotions had been withheld till the investigations were over. “A methodology should be introduced so that the failure to complete charge sheets against such officers within a period of six months will lead to the automatic cancellation of thereof,” the Minister said adding that some officers have long-standing charge sheets owing to the shortcomings in human rights investigation mechanisms.