Sri Lanka, Aug. 13 -- The United States has raised serious concerns over alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, citing extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, intimidation of journalists, and restrictions on free expression, in its 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

The report noted that the year followed Sri Lanka's first voter-elected presidential administration since the 2022 "Aragalaya" protest movement, but said the government took "minimal steps" to hold officials accountable for abuses.

Among key findings were seven custodial deaths reported by the Human Rights Commission between January and August, incidents of alleged torture to extract confessions, and misuse of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to de...