Excessive use of force: Public Security Minister declines to attend meet with HRC

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles has declined to appear before the Human Rights Commission. An aide to Mr. Alles told The Island that the Minister did not go to the HRC yesterday (13) as he had not been properly invited. Earlier, the media reported the HRC requesting a meeting with Minister Alles to discuss the excessive use of force against those protesting against the government. Former Supreme Court Justice Rohini Marasinghe heads the HRC.

The HRC dealt with the ongoing wave of protests by issuing the following statement: “Every citizen is entitled to the Freedom of Assembly and Expression and that this right has been exercised by different groups in the country, including trade unions, professional bodies, students and individuals. It has been alleged in several complaints that in several instances where such rights were exercised, law enforcement officers have resorted to the use of tear gas, water cannon and carrying wooden rods as a crowd control mechanism to disperse protesters.”