Amnesty international says in a report released on 21 June that it is concerned over the arbitrary arrests of hundreds of Tamils in and around Colombo. According to the human rights agency based in London, it is common for Tamil people in Colombo to be stopped by police and detained for questioning if they are not carrying identity documents, if they are visitors or newly arrived in the city, or if they are only temporarily resident there. Amnesty has also referred to complaints about police officers requiring payments from relatives to secure release of the prisoners and arrests of people regardless of whether they could demonstrate long-standing residence and employment in Colombo and regardless of whether they were in possession of identity documents.
Amnesty international says in a report released on 21 June that it is concerned over the arbitrary arrests of hundreds of Tamils in and around Colombo. According to the human rights agency based in London, it is common for Tamil people in Colombo to be stopped by police and detained for questioning if they are not carrying identity documents, if they are visitors or newly arrived in the city, or if they are only temporarily resident there. Amnesty has also referred to complaints about police officers requiring payments from relatives to secure release of the prisoners and arrests of people regardless of whether they could demonstrate long-standing residence and employment in Colombo and regardless of whether they were in possession of identity documents.
