The United States has imposed sanctions on a Sri Lankan military officer for violation of human rights, describing it as a bid to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuses around the world.
In a statement on December 9, the US state department, named Prabath Bulathwatte, the former head of a clandestine Sri Lankan platoon known as the Tripoli Platoon, for violation of human rights.
"Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Bulathwatte for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of Sri Lankan journalist, Keith Noyahr, in May 2008," US State Department said in a press statement.
These sanctions came on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day, the United States is taking the following actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world.
Aside from the Sri Lanka army officer, sanctions were imposed on officials from more than a dozen countries including Russia, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iran.
On Friday, the US Department of Treasury said that sanctions were announced against two Chinese officials for serious human rights abuse in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
The Chinese officials, named Wu Yingjie (Wu) and Zhang Hongbo (Zhang) have been named as those involved in rights violations by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) which is a financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the U S Treasury Department.
Wu Yingjie was the TAR Party Secretary between 2016 and 2021 and directed government officials to engage in stability policies, according to US Treasury Department.
The US agency administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions in support of US national security and foreign policy objectives. Notably, the Treasury has sanctioned over 40 individuals and entities across nine countries connected to corruption and human rights abuse.
( With inputs from ANI )
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