Commission calls for guidelines on emergency regulations

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has requested President Maithripala Sirisena to issue guidelines in relation to the Emergency Regulations imposed on April 22, a day after the Easter Day bomb attacks.

The Commission said in a letter to the President that it "does not dispute that emergency regulations are needed at a time like this in order to provide protection to the public and to restore normalcy".

"Similarly, the Commission believes that if these regulations are implemented by relevant officers in a manner that safeguards everyone's rights, and with cultural and religious sensitivity, security measures can be carried out successfully with the cooperation of every community."

Immediately after the state of emergency was lifted in 2011, regulations were adopted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

In May 2016, the Commission presented guidelines to the President to support the implementation of those regulations.

"We are pleased to recall that you issued those guidelines as Presidential Guidelines, with some edits, to the relevant security authorities," the Commission said in its letter.

"It would be of great assistance to further strengthen the security measures if your Excellency could reissue those guidelines as applicable to the current Emergency Regulations," the Commission added.

Date: 9 May 2019

Source: Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka