UN Human Rights Council 60: UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of OHCHR on the Human Rights Situation in Sri Lanka

The United Kingdom thanks the High Commissioner for his report on Sri Lanka and recent visit.

We welcome the government's commitments on human rights and accountability whilst also stressing the importance of tangible and sustained progress.

Action by the Sri Lankan authorities to exhume and investigate mass grave sites is vital. This should be carried out in line with international standards.

We share the High Commissioner's continuing concerns around arbitrary detention, custodial deaths, intimidation of human rights defenders, and targeting of minority communities.

We remain deeply concerned about the continued use of legislation such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act to restrict fundamental freedoms despite public commitments to abolish it.

We also encourage the government to re-invigorate the work of domestic institutions focused on reparations and missing persons.

It is crucial that any reconciliation and accountability process is inclusive and comprehensive, has the support of affected communities, builds on past recommendations and meets international standards.

High Commissioner,

We encourage you to take forward your Office's important work on conflict-related sexual violence and stress the need for this issue to be addressed as a matter of priority in Sri Lanka.

We reaffirm our willingness to work constructively with the government on these issues.

Thank you.