Thalawathugoda SPA raids violated fundamental human rights - Lanka SPA Association

The Lanka Spa Association and a group of lawyers have filed a complaint with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission, stating that the fundamental human rights of women arrested during raids on massage centers in the Thalawathugoda area have been violated due to the illegal public disclosure of their identities. This complaint has been filed by the Public Rights Protection Association, and they have also taken steps to submit a complaint to the Acting Inspector General of Police, requesting a disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of the police officers who carried out the raids.

Commenting on this, Attorney Susantha Gunawardena stated that while the women concerned are only suspects, their identities have been made public by releasing various photos and video clips to the media. He pointed out that since, according to the Constitution, any person is considered innocent until proven guilty by a court, publicly disclosing their faces and identities in this manner subjects them to severe humiliation and discomfort. Mr. Gunawardena requested the Human Rights Commission to conduct an impartial investigation into these rights violations and also urged the Acting Inspector General of Police to investigate whether police officers intentionally acted in a manner that violated fundamental rights.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Lanka Spa Association also criticized the manner in which these raids were conducted, stating that women working in the industry have been unfairly defamed. She further mentioned that treating these women like criminals who have committed serious offenses has left them utterly helpless, and despite the majority of them being professionally trained, they have repeatedly been subjected to arrest during such operations.

This complaint has been filed after the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Strike Force raided nine alleged brothels operating under the guise of massage centers in the Thalawathugoda area. According to media reports, 43 individuals, including 34 women, were arrested by the police during this special operation.