The Sri Lanka Core Group at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has called on the Sri Lankan government to ensure that investigations into mass grave sites are conducted in accordance with international standards, and reiterated the need to protect press freedom and civil society.
Delivering the Core Group’s statement during a session on the latest report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Kumar Iyer, stressed the importance of meaningful reform and accountability.
Speaking on behalf of Canada, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the United Kingdom, Iyer welcomed Sri Lanka’s recent move to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act but urged the government to translate commitments into concrete action on human rights, reconciliation, and constitutional reform.
“Addressing longstanding impunity is essential to build trust among victims and survivors in domestic judicial processes,” Iyer stated.
He emphasised the need for an independent and effective prosecutorial body, and called for the protection of journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors to ensure they can operate freely and safely.
The statement highlighted that Sri Lanka now has a critical opportunity to break from its troubled past and pursue a path toward justice and healing for victims and their families.
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