The UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has noted that given the time that has passed since the launch of the international inquiry, and the constraints placed on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) team, they believe that the UK Government should be ready to consider all possible options, including sanctions, to convince Sri Lanka to allow access.

“We recommend that the Government negotiates with its EU partners to remove GSP status from Sri Lanka, if the Government of Sri Lanka does not allow the OHCHR investigating team into the country and uphold the right of human right defenders to engage with the UN human rights system,” the Foreign Affairs Committee said in a report.

Speaking to BBC, chairperson of the committee, Sir Richard Ottaway has said that though it is not mandatory to accept this report, it is his belief that the UK House of Commons, which pays close attention to Human Rights, would take measures over this.

He has also added that he believes the UK government would raise a voice within the EU to impose sanctions against Sri Lanka after accepting the report.