Overview
- The OHCHR report concludes sexual violence was deliberate, widespread and institutionally enabled by state security forces, potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- Investigators say the abuses were used to intimidate, punish and control conflict-affected populations, largely targeting Tamil civilians, with cases documented well beyond 2009 and as recently as 2024.
- Survivors, including men, report ongoing surveillance, intimidation and stigma, alongside chronic physical and psychological harm and a near absence of effective remedies.
- The UN urges Sri Lanka to acknowledge past abuses, issue a formal apology, create an independent prosecution office, reform security and justice institutions, and ensure reparations and psychosocial support.
- Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch call for concrete domestic action and for foreign governments to pursue targeted sanctions, criminal investigations and better vetting, noting legal barriers such as a 20-year limit on cases and the law’s failure to recognize male rape.