• Sanctions include the freezing of any assets they may hold in Canada



Canada has imposed targeted sanctions against former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake, and Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi.

The sanctions have been imposed under regulations pursuant to Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act for the aforementioned trio’s responsibility for “gross and systematic violations of human rights during the war”, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced yesterday (10).

The sanctions include a dealings prohibition, which would effectively freeze any assets they may hold in Canada and render them inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“Despite continued calls from Canada and the international community to address accountability, the Government of Sri Lanka has taken limited meaningful and concrete action to uphold its human rights obligations. This jeopardises progress on justice for affected populations, and prospects for peace and reconciliation. Victims and survivors of gross human rights violations deserve justice. That is why Canada continues to call on Sri Lanka to fulfil its commitment to establish a meaningful accountability process. These sanctions send a clear message that Canada will not accept continued impunity for those that have committed gross human rights violations in Sri Lanka,” the Canadian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

It added that Canada will continue to collaborate alongside international partners, including through relevant multilateral bodies to advocate for human rights and accountability in Sri Lanka, which it said is an important step toward securing a safe, peaceful and inclusive future for the country. Canada, as part of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council, will continue to advocate for the full implementation of resolution 51/1 and support efforts towards attaining accountability and peace on the island, it further said.

“Canada supports efforts towards urgent political and economic reforms to alleviate the hardships faced by the people in Sri Lanka. We strongly encourage the Sri Lankan Government to promote democracy, human rights, and maintain the rule of law as it works to address this crisis,” the press release concluded.