UPR sessions in Geneva: Justice Marasinghe faces daunting task

Against the backdrop of Sri Lanka being under review by the delegates of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Justice Rohini Marasinghe has been invited to address a range of issues, including social and economic rights and the establishment of national prevention mechanisms at the UPR Info Pre-sessions on Nov 28.

In addition to addressing the concerns raised by the UPR delegates, Justice Marasinghe would also address the impugned decision of the Sub Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) to downgrade the HRCSL from ‘A’ grade to ‘B’ grade status, which was a decision taken in 2021. The HRCSL has already challenged this decision on multiple grounds and recommended its vacation to the SCA, and the delegates of the UPR will be made aware of these particulars, official sources said.

Furthermore, in reference to protecting the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly of the citizens of Sri Lanka enshrined in Article 14(1) (a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, will inform the delegates of the UPR that the HRCSL will be launching a set of ‘Guidelines for Law Enforcement Officials on Dealing with Civilian Protests and Obligations of the State’ on the coming Human Rights Day, on the 10th December 2022.

Therefore, it is on the ground of national interest, and in order to render more favourable the global perception of the protection of human rights in Sri Lanka, the chairman would be asserting the numerous efforts taken by the HRCSL to safeguard human rights at the UPR Info Pre-sessions 2022, held in Geneva, from the 28th November – 2nd December 2022, sources said.

Sources said that the Geneva sessions would give HRCSL an excellent opportunity to enumerate the work done by the outfit in a robust manner in the past months and to place the independence of the commission and its mandate within the knowledge of the delegates present in Geneva and change the unfavourable perception they have of human rights in Sri Lanka.