GENEVA (12 June 2026) – The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) will visit Sri Lanka from 15 to 24 June 2026 to assess progress made since its previous mission in 2019 in strengthening safeguards against torture and ill-treatment.
During the visit, the Subcommittee will evaluate whether the authorities have implemented its earlier recommendations and will review the functioning of the country’s National Preventive Mechanism, designated under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).
“In addition to undertaking preventive visits, the mission aims to assess how the authorities have followed up on our recommendations and to evaluate the effectiveness of the national preventive mechanism,” said Aisha Shujune Muhammad, Head of the SPT delegation.
The delegation is expected to meet government officials, representatives of the national preventive mechanism, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders. It may also conduct visits to places where persons are or may be deprived of their liberty, in accordance with its mandate.
At the conclusion of the visit, the Subcommittee will share confidential preliminary observations with the authorities. A confidential report containing findings and recommendations will subsequently be transmitted to the Government, in line with the OPCAT framework.
Sri Lanka acceded to OPCAT in 2017. This is the Subcommittee’s second visit to the country.
This marks the Subcommittee’s second visit to Sri Lanka, following its previous mission in April 2019. Sri Lanka acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in December 2017, under which the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka was designated as the National Preventive Mechanism.
The visit takes place in the context of ongoing discussions concerning the application of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), including matters related to detention practices, which have drawn attention from various stakeholders.
The delegation is composed of Aisha Shujune Muhammad (Head of Delegation, Maldives), Jakub Julian Czepek (Poland), Nika Kvaratskhelia (Georgia), and Anica Tomsic (Croatia), supported by members of the OHCHR Secretariat.