AG raises concerns over Dept’s references in latest UN report on Sri Lanka

Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe who met with the United Nations Sri Lanka Resident Representative Marc-Andre Franche last week expressed his concern at several of the references to the AG’s Department in the recently released report by the UN Human Rights Commissioner.

Mr.Ranasinghe refuted the contents of the report at the meeting with the UN official this week and said a response to the reference to the conduct of the AG’s Department has been forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be included in the submission being made to the UNHRC at its sessions in Geneva next week, the Sunday Times last week edition (August 31) reported. 

It will be part of the overall Government response to the observations contained in the report of UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk which will be presented at the 60th session of the UNHRC in September.

In an advanced copy of the report released on its website earlier this month, the UN Human rights chief said a key obstacle to justice has been the need for reform within the Attorney General's office to ensure an independent prosecutorial authority to prosecute grave human rights violations.” In its policy manifesto, the Government had pledged to introduce “a Directorate of Public Prosecution, independent of the Attorney General’s Department,” the Report said.

It added that the wide prosecutorial discretion afforded to the Attorney General, a general reluctance to act on uncorroborated evidence,  limited investigative capacity of the police,  lack of qualified forensic experts, and shortage of Tamil speaking officers  are collectively hindering victims' access to justice and perpetuating impunity.

“An expert committee has been established to study the establishment of an independent prosecutor’s office. The Government reported that a committee has been tasked to develop initial proposals and that feedback from the public, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and civil society would be sought on the draft concept paper,” the UN report said.

Meanwhile Mr.Franche told the Sunday Times that the UN Human Right Commissioner in his report has encouraged the Government to follow through on its commitment to set up an independent prosecutor’s office and spoken on the ongoing challenges the country’s justice system faces and not made any opinion on the AG.

Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk met with AG Parinda Ranasinghe Jr. during his visit to Sri Lanka in June this year.