No reason to raise human rights concerns in Sri Lanka, Russia responds to OHCHR

Colombo, Sept. 9 (Daily Mirror) – Russia, in response to the OHCHR report on Sri Lanka, said that it sees no reason to raise concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, whose authorities demonstrate their readiness to build mutually respectful cooperation with international human rights mechanisms.

A Russian representative said that a clear example is the recent visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to this country.

“We note the efforts aimed at bringing national legislation into line with international human rights obligations. Measures are being taken to improve the public administration system. Progress is being made towards national reconciliation. In this context, we welcome the decision of the country’s government in August 2025 to begin developing a new national policy and action plan in this area. Specialised bureaus are functioning in Sri Lanka, as well as the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations.

Against this background, the ongoing attempts to exert political pressure on this sovereign state under far-fetched human rights pretexts are a cause for concern. It is in this context that we consider the HRC resolutions, unsupported by the national authorities, empowering the OHCHR to collect and analyse information on alleged human rights violations for some future judicial processes. Such an approach contradicts the universal principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states. We are convinced that the investigation of any violations and bringing to justice is the exclusive prerogative of the Sri Lankan authorities,” stated the Russian representative.

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