Sri Lanka Government Urged to Accept Responsibility for Negombo Prison Deaths

Calls for Compensation for Deceased Inmates’ Families

A prisoners’ rights advocate has called on the Sri Lankan government to accept responsibility for the deaths and injuries of inmates during the violence at Negombo Prison, arguing that the state has a duty to protect everyone held in its custody.

The speaker said a written appeal had been submitted to the European Union seeking intervention, independent scrutiny and an examination of the investigations into the prison violence that occurred on 5 and 6 July 2026.

According to the speaker, the government should not limit its responsibility to prison officers who died during the incident. Families of deceased inmates should also receive compensation, the speaker argued.

The statement questioned whether the government would be willing to compensate inmates’ families if it proposed compensation for prison officers’ families.

Deaths and Injuries at Negombo Prison

The violence at Negombo Prison resulted in deaths and injuries among both inmates and prison officers. The incident raised serious questions about prison safety, the use of force, overcrowding and the state’s responsibility for people in detention.

On 27 October, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka issued a report on the incident, reporting the deaths of 10 prison officers and 22 inmates, with more than 100 people injured. The Commission said it had conducted an investigation and made recommendations to relevant authorities.

The Commission’s findings and recommendations are important to establishing accountability. Criminal investigations and legal proceedings are separate processes, and responsibility for specific deaths must be determined through the relevant evidence and legal procedures.

Request for European Union Intervention

The speaker said the organisation had written to the European Union asking it to examine the incident and monitor the investigations conducted by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department.

The appeal was framed around Sri Lanka’s international human-rights commitments, including obligations relating to civil and political rights and the prevention of torture and other ill-treatment.

The speaker also referred to the European Union’s GSP+ trade concession, arguing that respect for human rights and international conventions should remain central to Sri Lanka’s engagement with international partners.

GSP+ is a trade preference scheme linked to the implementation of specified international conventions. The speaker’s request for EU involvement does not, by itself, establish that the EU has agreed to conduct a separate investigation.

Equal Protection for Prison Officers and Inmates

The speaker argued that both prison officers and inmates deserve recognition and protection, and called on the media to report on the rights of all those affected rather than focusing exclusively on the deaths of officials.

The statement also drew comparisons with previous prison incidents, including the Welikada Prison violence during an earlier administration, arguing that the same principles of accountability should apply regardless of which government is in power.

The central demand was that the state should accept its responsibility to protect people in custody, ensure a credible investigation and provide appropriate compensation where liability is established.

Accountability and the Road Ahead

The incident has renewed attention on the treatment of people in detention and the need for transparent investigations. The Human Rights Commission has documented the deaths and injuries and issued recommendations, while criminal investigations and court proceedings are also relevant to establishing what happened and who may be responsible.