Switzerland has called for an investigation into evidence of arbitrary arrests, abuse and torture during anti-drug operations by the army in Sri Lanka.
At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, it called for those responsible to be prosecuted, Swiss media reported.
“Switzerland is ‘alarmed’ by the adoption or proposal of ‘new repressive laws’ in this country, said the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Jürg Lauber.
Like the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, before him, he denounced in particular the laws on online security and against non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Switzerland was also concerned about the retention of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. This was being used to suppress fundamental freedoms, Lauber said.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
Cabinet has approved the appointment of Commodore (retired) M.B.N.A. Premaratne of the Sri Lanka Navy, as the new Commissioner General of Excise.
Villagers in Nirmalapura, Daluwa, Norochcholai today staged a protest over an incident where a group of Navy officials and sailors had assaulted a resident in the area over night, Police said.
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