Amnesty accuses Sri Lanka of perpetrating war rights abuses post- civil war

Colombo, Mar 14(ANI): An Amnesty International report has accused Sri Lanka of perpetrating human rights violations even after the end of the civil war.

The group said that hundreds of people are being detained without trial and are often held incommunicado and frequently tortured.

The report comes ahead of a discussion on a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council to urge a probe into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

A television documentary due to be aired in Britain alleges the 12-year-old son of rebel leader Prabhakaran was shot at close range at the end of the war.

"We have obtained a sworn affidavit from a senior Sri Lankan officer in which he suggests that the boy was apparently interrogated about his father's whereabouts, and then killed," the BBC quoted a Channel 4 spokeswoman, as saying.

"Evidence that the shooting of the 12-year-old was an execution rather than a combat injury can be seen in high resolution photographs of his dead body - these stills are examined by respected forensic pathologist Derrick Pounder in the film," he added.

The Sri Lankan High Commission in London has condemned the programme as being based on "a number of highly spurious and uncorroborated allegations".

Sri Lanka has not yet responded to the Amnesty report but had earlier defended its conduct in the final stages of the war.

It is preparing its own documentary on the final battle with the Tigers, army chief Lt-Gen Jagath Jayasuriya has said.

The Sri Lankan army defeated Tamil Tiger rebels to end over 25 years of bloody civil war in which both sides have been accused of perpetrating rights abuses. (ANI)