Download the full report - Human Rights Watch
Download the full report - Human Rights Watch
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<strong>Rights</strong> <strong>Watch</strong> and o<strong>the</strong>r organizations shows that <strong>the</strong>se directives remain largely declarations<br />
on paper—with no legal force and no penalties for non-compliance. 62<br />
The government has reformed Sri Lanka’s rape laws to better address <strong>the</strong> rape of detainees.<br />
Beginning in 1995, <strong>the</strong> government put in place a legal framework which in principle<br />
should have allowed more effective prosecution of alleged rapists. Among <strong>the</strong> changes to<br />
<strong>the</strong> Penal Code was <strong>the</strong> inclusion of a new provision (section 364(2)) recognizing <strong>the</strong><br />
phenomena of rape in custody and gang rape as acts constituting grave crimes. The<br />
minimum and maximum punishment for rape in custody as a form of aggravated rape is 10<br />
years’ and 20 years’ imprisonment, respectively. 63<br />
62<br />
See, for example, International Crisis Group, “Sri Lanka's <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> Crisis,” Asia Report no 135, June 14,<br />
2007, http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-asia/srilanka/135_sri_lanka_s_human_rights_crisis.ashx<br />
(accessed February 13, 2013).<br />
63<br />
See <strong>the</strong> Penal Code (Amendment) Act Nos. 22 of 1995 and 29 of 1998; <strong>the</strong> Code of Criminal Procedure<br />
(Amendment) Act, No. 28 of 1998; <strong>the</strong> Judicature (Amendment) Act, No. 27 of 1998; and <strong>the</strong> Evidence (Special<br />
Provision) Act of 1999.<br />
“WE WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON” 28