The top United Nations official in Colombo has said Sri Lanka should not use quarantine rules to suppress peaceful protests which are part of the right of assembly and freedom of expression.

“Right of assembly includes the right to hold peaceful demonstrations,” UN’s resident coordinator in Colombo Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said on Twitter.

“It helps exercise other rights; freedom of expression & influence public policies.

“Vital that restrictions imposed as measures against the pandemic don’t go beyond the legitimate protection of #PublicHealth.”

Her comments came in the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s police forcibly quarantining protestors which drew criticism from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and opposition groups.

Several protestors who had been arrested and given bail by courts were also quarantine.

Sri Lanka’s teachers have stopped online teaching on Monday as a protest against the incarceration of teachers union officials following a protest.

UN’s World Health Organization has supported Sri Lanka on several matters relating to Coronavirus including providing free vaccines under the Covax facility funded by richer nations and private corporations.

(SAM)