AI welcomes the recent initiatives taken by the government of Sri Lanka to strengthen human rights protection, including: the reestablishment of the Human Rights Task Force; the issuing of directives to the heads of the security forces to ensure the fundamental rights of detainees are respected; the reiteration of the resolve fully to investigate incidents of human rights violations; and the declaration by the President and Minister of Justice of their personal opposition to the death penalty. However, AI remains concerned about continuing reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, rape, “disappearances” and extrajudicial executions in the northeast and in Colombo. AI urges the government in this report to take all necessary measures to ensure struct implementation of the recently announced measures to protect human rights.
