Speaking in parliament, MP for Carshalton and Wallington raised concerns over the deterioration of human rights in Sri Lanka.

He asked Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development: 

“What actions can my hon. Friend take to ensure that evidence collected satisfies conditions for sanctions against current Sri Lankan officials who are credibly accused of overseeing the enforced disappearance and sexual assault of thousands of Sri Lankan civilians during the conflict?”

Adams responded by noting that the recent passage of the UK-led UNHRC resolution which included for the first time, a request for the UN “to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve information and evidence” of human rights abuses and violations so that this can be used to support future accountability processes.

Read the exchange here.

The latest report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged member states to consider “targeted sanctions, such as asset freezes and travel bans against State officials and other actors credibly alleged to have committed or be responsible for grave human rights violations”. The report further urged states to pursue “investigations and prosecution in their national courts – under accepted principles of extraterritorial or universal jurisdiction”.

Last week EU Parliament passed a resolution condemning Sri Lanka and calling for the European Council to consider repealing the GSP+ agreement and imposing sanctions on Sri Lankan officials accused of war crimes.

Read more here: Ahead of GSP+ review, EU parliament passes resolution calling for sanctions