Culture of impunity for human rights violations' - Amnesty

by admin
Oct 29, 2012

In a statement released the day before Sri Lanka's UPR at the Human Rights Council, Amnesty International reiterated the "lack of progress on a number of human rights issues highlighted in the first review four years ago", and a "culture of impunity for human rights violations".

The statement continued:

'While the government of Sri Lanka has defeated the LTTE, it has failed to implement commitments to enhance human rights protections and to account for past violations.

It has yet to repeal oppressive anti-terrorism legislation which is used to justify abusive practices including arbitrary detention and restrictions on freedom of expression. A lack of witness protection laws and continued lack of independence of the National Human Rights Commission had added to a culture of impunity for human rights violations.

Amnesty International continues to receive reports of enforced disappearances, torture and other ill treatment in detention, which the authorities refuse to investigate. Security forces’ use of arbitrary arrests and detentions have targeted members of armed groups, political opponents and journalists.'

See here for Amnesty's full UPR submission.

See also 'HRW - 'Approach Sri Lanka with skepticism' (30 Oct 2012)

And our TG View -'How meaningful is Sri Lanka's UPR?' (25 Oct 2012)

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