UK keeping SL under close review relating to rights and accountability, says UK’s Minister of State

UK Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) Jesse Norman

UK Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) Jesse Norman has said the country keeps the situation in Sri Lanka under close review, including in relation to human rights and accountability. 

“Within this, the government keeps under active consideration how to use the diplomatic tools we have including sanctions,” he said in response to a question tabled by Beth Winter, a Labour MP. 

Norman was responding to the question posed by Winter in writing where she asked what recent assessment the Minister has made of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on the Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, and other members of the Sri Lankan military.

“The UK’s Global Human Rights Sanctions regime gives the UK Government a powerful mechanism to hold accountable those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses and to send a clear signal of the values we hold,” he said 

“The UK Government continues to consider designations globally, guided by evidence and the objectives of the human rights sanctions regime; but it is not appropriate to speculate on potential future designations, in order to avoid reducing their impact,” he added.