UN Urges Sri Lanka to Strengthen Safeguards for Detainees

According to the SPT, people held in detention continue to face challenges including prolonged pre-trial detention, overcrowded facilities and inadequate living conditions.

The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has called on Sri Lanka to strengthen protections for people deprived of their liberty, saying long-standing concerns about detention conditions and safeguards against torture remain unresolved.

The SPT appealed for its second official visit to Sri Lanka from 14 to 25 June 2026, during which a delegation assessed progress made since its first visit in 2019. The experts examined conditions in prisons, police stations, remand centres, rehabilitation facilities and other places of detention through unannounced inspections and discussions with government officials, civil society organisations, members of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and UN agencies.

Concerns remain over detention conditions and legal safeguards

According to the SPT, people held in detention continue to face challenges including prolonged pre-trial detention, overcrowded facilities and inadequate living conditions. The delegation said that although legal safeguards exist, they are not always applied effectively in practice, leaving detainees vulnerable to ill-treatment. The experts also expressed concern about the absence of an independent investigative mechanism, warning that this can contribute to a climate of impunity. They stressed that preventing torture requires not only strong laws but also effective oversight and accountability throughout the justice system.

National monitoring body needs stronger support

The SPT said Sri Lanka should take further steps to strengthen its National Preventive Mechanism by ensuring it remains independent, adequately funded and able to carry out its work effectively. The delegation noted that establishing the body alone is not enough, as it must also have the operational capacity to monitor detention facilities and help prevent torture and ill-treatment.

Following the visit, the SPT will submit a confidential report to the Sri Lankan Government containing its findings and recommendations. The UN body has encouraged the Government to publish both the new report and the report from its 2019 visit to promote greater transparency, accountability and public discussion on improving the treatment of people in detention.