Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, the President’s special envoy on human rights issues, will lead Sri Lanka’s delegation to next month’s sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. At these sessions, Sri Lanka’s human rights record will come up for scrutiny under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – a mechanism where every UN member country’s [...]

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HR review on Nov. 1: Minister will go to Geneva

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Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, the President’s special envoy on human rights issues, will lead Sri Lanka’s delegation to next month’s sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

At these sessions, Sri Lanka’s human rights record will come up for scrutiny under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – a mechanism where every UN member country’s performance is reviewed.

The case of Sri Lanka will come up between 2.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on November 1. Thereafter, a three-country panel headed by India will formulate a report. Other members of this panel are Spain and Benin. Their report will be placed before the UNHRC at 3 p.m. on November 6 and adopted at 4 p.m. on the same day.

Accompanying Minister Samarasinghe will be Mohan Peiris, legal advisor to the Cabinet, officials of the External Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s Department.

Earlier, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilleke Amunugama told the Sunday Times (September 2) that Ravinatha Ariyasinha, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, would lead the Sri Lankan delegation. He said there would be no ministerial representation. However, he was directed by the Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga to withdraw the statement.




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