Sri Lanka: Submission to the 28th UPR

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a human rights organisation specialising in freedom of religion of belief (FoRB). CSW has been monitoring and raising awareness of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka for more than ten years. We undertake fact-finding assignments to the country, with the latest undertaken in 2016. This submission seeks to draw attention to particular concerns over the right to freedom of religion or belief in Sri Lanka.

Constitutional and international obligations

Sri Lanka has an extensive national and international body of laws to guide the relevant judicial institutions to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief. The freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in Article 10 and 14 (1) (e) of the constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka. However, the constitution also contains Article 9 that establishes that the “The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e)”..”

To read the submission in full, you can download the pdf here