A young British woman accused of attempting to smuggle drugs into Sri Lanka has described the appalling conditions of the overcrowded prison where she is currently being held, as her legal case slowly proceeds through the courts.
Charlotte May Lee, 21, from south London, was arrested earlier this month after Sri Lankan authorities allegedly found 46kg of cannabis in her suitcases when she arrived on a flight from Thailand. The former flight attendant, who was travelling to Colombo to renew her Thai visa, has denied knowing that the drugs were in her luggage. If convicted, she could face up to 25 years in prison.
In an interview with the BBC , Lee spoke about her experience at Negombo Prison, located just north of the capital. "I can't compare it to anything," she said, describing how she shares a cell with five other women and sleeps on a thin mattress on the concrete floor, using her clothes as a pillow.
"I have never been to prison and I've never been to Sri Lanka," she said. "This heat and just sitting on a concrete floor all of the time."
Lee said she tries not to dwell too much on her situation. "I am not trying to think about it. If I think, then I feel bad. I'd still rather not process it."
She also expressed concern for the other women detained alongside her, some of whom have already been in prison for over two years while awaiting trial. "There are people from so many different countries who have been here for two years, two-and-a-half years. And it's still just waiting and no one actually knows anything."
She has found some support from other English-speaking women, but has not been able to contact her family since her arrest.
Lee made a procedural court appearance on Friday, where she was visibly upset and held in a cell at the back of the courtroom before being brought to the witness box. The narcotics division of the Sri Lankan police wheeled in a large brown box containing the alleged cannabis as evidence.
Lee’s lawyer, Sampath Perera, requested that the substances be tested by government authorities to confirm whether they are in fact illegal drugs. The magistrate ordered that a report be submitted to the court as soon as possible. The next step, according to Perera, is to apply for bail - a process that could take up to three months.
Lee is currently being held on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs and drug smuggling. Her next court appearance is scheduled for 13 July. Under Sri Lankan law, those held on remand must appear before a judge every 14 days.
The dire conditions in Negombo Prison, where Lee is being detained, have been extensively documented. The prison is notorious for severe overcrowding and poor sanitation. Past reports describe cells built for 75 people housing up to 150 inmates, with open drains infested with rats running along cell perimeters.
A former female prisoner described the facility as a "hellhole", saying: "We are treated as far less than human... There are 650 of us in the female ward though it was built for 150 people. We eat, bathe, sleep, wake up and begin all over again. There are no attempts at rehabilitation. Women here just waste away."
Sri Lanka’s prison system remains in deep crisis. Parliament was recently told that the country’s prisons are over 20,000 inmates beyond their capacity. There is also a severe shortage of staff, with 850 prison guard positions currently unfilled.
Following Lee’s arrest, the British government updated its advice for British nationals detained in Sri Lanka, warning that it cannot interfere with the country’s legal proceedings, secure early release, or guarantee improved prison conditions for foreign detainees. It said:
"We cannot get you out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings.
We cannot give you legal advice, start legal proceedings, or investigate a crime. We cannot get you better treatment in prison than is given to local people."
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