The Sri Lankan government must take “concrete” steps towards co-operating with the United Nations said Amnesty International in an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday.
Calling the Sri Lankan government's commitment to prioritise engagement with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) “promising”, Amnesty International said “it needs to be backed by concrete acts of co-operation, including to determine truth and pursue justice for crimes under international law”.
“Amnesty International cannot stress enough the need for a thorough accounting and justice for the victims of violations and abuses in Sri Lanka,” said the organisation.
The non-governmental organisation continued to say it “strongly encourages Sri Lanka to use the time until the Council considers the OHCHR Inquiry report in September 2015 to take specific measures to improve its human rights situation.”
“Publishing the names and locations of all detainees and permitting family visits; charging and trying detainees promptly in accordance with international standards or releasing them; repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and acceding to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance,” were examples of specific measures Sri Lanka could take before September said Amnesty International.
“This Council should continue to encourage, support and monitor progress in Sri Lanka, and remain vigilant for reprisals against human rights defenders,” concluded the statement.
See the full statement here.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
