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Commonwealth aims for observers at NPC polls: Sec.Gen. Sharma
View(s):The Commonwealth aims to have a suitable observer presence on the ground during the upcoming northern provincial elections, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma has said. The Secretary General mentioned this in response to a letter by Mangala Samaraweera to the Commonwealth Secretariat, in which he raised several concerns earlier.
“The Commonwealth accords high priority to freedom of expression, as reaffirmed by all member governments within the Commonwealth Charter, and a commitment to peaceful, open dialogue, and the free flow of information, including through a free and responsible media,” the response said.
“Concerns are raised in the letter about the compliance of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) with the Paris Principles. As you may be aware, when the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the International Coordinating Committee on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights downgraded the HRCSL to ‘B’ status, it made certain recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness, authority and independence of the institution within the sprit of the Paris Principles,” the letter said.
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