50 ethnic Tamils abducted and tortured in Sri Lanka

An Associated Press investigation published Wednesday offered detailed testimony from 20 of the men, along with photographs of injuries they said were sustained when they were raped, branded or beaten repeatedly in custody. The men, now seeking political asylum in Europe, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals against relatives who remain in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka says it will investigate allegations by more than 50 ethnic Tamils that they were abducted and tortured by police or army soldiers long after the nation’s civil war ended.

A Foreign Affairs Ministry official said in a letter sent Thursday to the AP that the government “strongly condemns” torture and will ensure such allegations are “investigated and prosecuted.” It urged those with evidence of abuse to come forward and report it.

One of the men tortured in Sri Lanka said he was held for 21 days in a small dank room where he was raped 12 times, burned with cigarettes, beaten with iron rods and hung upside-down.

The strangers say they were accused of trying to revive a rebel group on the losing side of the civil war. Although combat ended 8 years ago, the torture and abuse occurred from early 2016 to as recently as July this year.