A/HRC/37/23 I. Introduction 1. The present document is an update on progress achieved in promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. It is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/1, which followed the adoption of resolution 30/1. Both resolutions were co-sponsored by Sri Lanka, and were adopted by consensus. It provides an update to the comprehensive report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Council at its thirty-fourth session (A/HRC/34/20).1 2. In its resolution 34/1, the Council took note with appreciation of the High Commissioner’s report and requested the Government of Sri Lanka to implement fully the outstanding measures identified by the Council in its resolution 30/1. It also requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and relevant special procedure mandate holders, in consultation with, and with the concurrence of, the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen their advice and technical assistance on the promotion and protection of human rights and truth, justice, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka. In the same resolution the Council also asked OHCHR to continue to assess progress in the implementation of its recommendations and other relevant processes related to reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, and to present a written update to the Council at its thirty-seventh session and a comprehensive report, followed by a discussion on the implementation of Council resolution 30/1, at its fortieth session. 3. In the present report OHCHR reviews progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka during the period from March 2017 to January 2018 on the implementation of resolutions 30/1 and 34/1, in particular regarding the comprehensive recommendations on the judicial and non-judicial measures necessary to advance accountability and reconciliation, and on strengthening the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The update is based on public information and insights obtained by OHCHR from various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. II. Engagement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations human rights mechanisms 4. Several senior OHCHR representatives conducted visits to Sri Lanka during the period under review, following the missions of the High Commissioner and the Deputy High Commissioner in February and September 2016, respectively. The High Commissioner also had the opportunity to meet the President of Sri Lanka on 22 September 2017, during the seventy-second session of the General Assembly, and to exchange views with high-level delegations from Sri Lanka during the thirty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council in June 2017 as well as in bilateral meetings. The High Commissioner welcomes the substantive engagement of the Government with OHCHR and its constructive engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms. 5. Since the previous report, the Government has hosted the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The observations and recommendations of these mandate holders were used to inform the present update in conjunction with the reports of the other special procedure mandate holders who visited the country between 2015 and 2017. 6. In November 2017, Sri Lanka underwent its third universal periodic review, which has also informed the present update. 1 Sinhalese and Tamil versions of the findings are available at www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/Asia Region/Pages/LKIndex.aspx. 3