Sri Lanka fails to prosecute past human rights abuses, HRW warns

Human Rights Watch has released a report titled ‘Not Genuine with Justice,’ stating that Sri Lanka lacks the political will to prosecute serious human rights abuses committed during and after the civil war. The report argues that despite various pledges made to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the state has failed to hold powerful military and political figures accountable.

While the administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has shown some progress in specific cases since 2024, many emblematic investigations remain stalled. These include the massacre of aid workers, the targeting of journalists, and the enforced disappearance of academics.

The organization highlighted that victims, their families, and human rights defenders continue to face intimidation and harassment. Human Rights Watch is calling on the UN Human Rights Council to urge the Sri Lankan government to take credible steps toward accountability and end reprisals against those seeking justice.