Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, who oversees Sri Lanka's police, has strongly criticized the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) and its local arm for their criticism of the government's anti-drug campaign.
The campaign, known as "Yukthiya" (justice), has resulted in the arrest of around 39,000 individuals involved in drug-related activities.
Minister Alles considers the drug menace a significant threat and supports the police-led operation, which has been in effect since mid-December. Police data reveal that, during this period, nearly 39,000 people, predominantly associated with drugs such as heroin, cannabis, synthetic drugs, and cocaine, have been arrested.
The UNHRC expressed concerns about the Sri Lankan authorities adopting a heavily security-based response to the country's drug problem, advocating for public health policies grounded in human rights. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the Sri Lankan government to review the "Yukthiya" operation and implement human rights-based approaches, particularly focusing on the right to health.
In response to the UN's statement, Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported alleged violations during and after the operations, including unauthorized searches, arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment, torture, and strip searches in public. Throssell also noted claims of intimidation against lawyers representing those detained.
Minister Alles, however, dismissed the UN's statement, calling it generalized. He emphasized the need for the Human Rights Commission to specify incidents for inquiry rather than issuing general statements without a basis.
