Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now name the pedestrian who died following a crash on Mountain Road, Inglewood on 4 February.
She was 63-year-old Jacqueline Deam, of Inglewood.
Our thoughts are with those close to her at this difficult time.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: US State of California Department of Justice
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov
Musk was never elected, nominated, or confirmed — an affront to the U.S. Constitution
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit that challenges Elon Musk’s unlawful exercise of power. In today’s lawsuit, the attorneys general argue that Mr. Musk, an unconfirmed, unelected government employee, is exercising authority that exceeds what the U.S. Constitution permits. In his commanding of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the lawsuit alleges, Mr. Musk is acting with at least as much authority as a “principal officer of the United States” — a position that only Congress can create and one that requires Senate confirmation. The lawsuit alleges that, by acting as a “principal officer,” Mr. Musk is acting in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Appointments Clause, and the coalition seeks to immediately halt this unlawful exercise of power.
“Elon Musk does not occupy a position that Congress created or that the Senate confirmed — Mr. Musk occupies a position the President made up. This is a clear and dangerous effort to bypass the nomination and confirmation process required under the Constitution. DOGE’s ransacking of federal agencies has sown tremendous chaos, instilled distrust among the American people, and has caused deep harm to our country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Like a bull in a china shop, Mr. Musk is wielding an enormous amount of illegitimized power over sensitive systems and important government programs that are vital to the American way of life.”
In the lawsuit filed today, the attorneys general argue that Mr. Musk has unraveled federal agencies, accessed sensitive data, and caused widespread disruption for state and local governments, as well as critical systems American people rely on daily. By disrupting billions of dollars in federal funding essential for law enforcement, healthcare, education, and other critical services, Mr. Musk’s actions harm the states, including California.
In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
A copy of the complaint can be found here.
# # #
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN on conspiracy and bribery charges for using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago, was convicted on ten counts against him, including one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, three counts of wire fraud, and two counts of bribery. The jury acquitted Madigan on four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, two bribery counts, and an attempted extortion count. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey declared a mistrial on six other counts for which the jury did not reach a unanimous verdict – one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.
The jury returned its verdicts against Madigan after a four-month trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Each wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while each bribery count is punishable by up to ten years. The maximum for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and each count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity is five years.
Judge Blakey also declared a mistrial as to all six deadlocked counts against a co-defendant, MICHAEL F. MCCLAIN, 77, of Quincy, Ill. McClain was charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.
Evidence at trial revealed that Madigan, who served as House Speaker and occupied a number of other political roles, conspired with others to cause the utility company Commonwealth Edison to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the business. The true nature of the payments was to influence and reward Madigan in connection with specific legislation ComEd sought in the Illinois General Assembly.
Madigan was also convicted of scheming to accept legal work unlawfully steered to his private law firm and his son by an Alderman of the Chicago City Council, in exchange for Madigan’s assistance in inducing the Governor of Illinois to appoint the Alderman to a compensated State Board position.
The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Sarah E. Streicker, and Julia Schwartz.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant convicted of murder, attempted murder and physical and mental torture by Brazilian authorities for his involvement in “The Slaughter of Curió” in 2015
BOSTON – A Brazilian national residing in Malden, Mass. has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston for lying on his asylum application and at an immigration hearing. Upon applying for a U.S. Visa, the defendant never disclosed his arrest in a case involving the murders of 11 people, mostly teenagers, in Brazil in retaliation for the death of a police officer, an incident known as The Slaughter of Curió.
Antonio Jose De Abreu Vidal Filho, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper who scheduled sentencing for Mau 29, 2025. In May 2024, De Abreu was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In April 2014, De Abreu joined the Ceara State Military Police – Brazilian state forces who, under the governor, do first line policing on the street. In the early morning hours of Nov. 12, 2015, numerous Brazilian military police officers employed by the government of the Brazilian state of Ceará, including De Abreu, participated in a mass killing event of primarily young people from the impoverished neighborhoods of Barroso, Messejana, Guajeru, Curió and Lagoa Redonda in the capital of Ceará.
The killings were in retaliation for the death of another police officer who was attempting to defend his wife who was being assaulted. In total, 11 people, mostly teenagers, were murdered and many others seriously injured and tortured. This incident has come to be known as A Chacina do Curió or The Slaughter of Curió or The Curió Massacre. A total of 45 individuals, including De Abreu, were charged by the Brazilian authorities and, on Aug. 31, 2016, De Abreu was arrested and detained by the Brazilian police. He was subsequently released pending trial on May 24, 2017.
Two weeks later, on June 9, 2017, while in Recife, Brazil, De Abreu applied for a United States non-immigrant B2 visitor visa. When asked whether he had ever been arrested or convicted for any offense or crime, De Abreu responded “no.” Thereafter, on or about June 21, 2017, the United States Department of State approved De Abreu’s Visa Application and issued him the B2 Visa based upon his false representations. De Abreu used the B2 Visa and travelled to Miami on May 30, 2018.
Between May 30, 2018 through Aug. 14, 2023, as a result of the approval of his Visa Application, De Abreu obtained various state driver’s licenses, a social security card, travel documents and authorizations for employment.
De Abreu applied for asylum on Jan. 29, 2020, and lied when asked whether he had ever been accused, charged, arrested, detained, interrogated and imprisoned in any country other than the United States. He also failed to disclose his arrest and detention in Brazil when he applied for adjustment of status with United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.
On June 25, 2023, De Abreu was convicted of 11 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and four counts of physical and mental torture in the First Court of Fortaleza, Ceará. That same day, De Abreu was sentenced to 275 years and 11 months in prison and an arrest warrant issued.
On Feb. 9, 2024, De Abreu testified under oath at an immigration hearing conducted by U.S. Immigration Court, falsely claiming that he had never lied to immigration officials and that the only reason he had left off important information on immigration documents filed with the United States government was because he had not yet been arrested.
The charge of misuse of visas, permits and other documents provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of perjury provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Bradley Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Mathew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BOSTON – A Haverhill man has pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with a Massachusetts Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim he submitted in 2020 on behalf of a man who was living in Brazil at the time, and therefore ineligible to receive PUA benefits.
Julio Roncaly Morais, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of false statements before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs who scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. In June 2024, Morias was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Morais filed a Massachusetts PUA claim on June 3, 2020, on behalf of a co-conspirator who was living in Brazil before and after the PUA claim was filed. In the PUA application, Morais certified under penalty of perjury that the co-conspirator was a resident of Massachusetts and was able and available to work in Massachusetts but was unable to due to the pandemic. As a result of this claim, the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance paid a total of $5,202 in benefits before suspending payments.
The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in charge for the Homeland Security Investigations New England Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security and the Woburn and Norwood Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Begg Lawrence, James D. Herbert and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud.
Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including N.T., who was a resident of Oakland. Without N.T.’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using N.T.’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to N.T.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Markle is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 13, 2025. Markle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the loss) for mail fraud, plus supervised release of up to five years. She also faces a mandatory two-year consecutive prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises all southbound lanes on State Highway 1 at the Greenlane Interchange are closed due to a serious crash.
Motorists are asked to delay their journeys, where possible, consider alternate routes and expect delays and diversions. Traffic is heavy around the Greenlane Interchange and NZ Police expect the closure to be in place for at least two hours, while the Serious Crash Unit investigates.
Auckland through-traffic should use the Western Ring Route to travel south, from SH1 to State Highway 18 at Albany, left to State Highway 16 through Westgate and right to the State Highway 20 Southbound Waterview Tunnel to continue south from the SH1/SH20 link in Manukau.
The Greenlane southbound on-ramp remains open, as do all northbound lanes.
People are encouraged to visit the Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) for up to date information on the closure and detour route before they travel.
NZTA thanks everyone for their patience.
Source: US Marshals Service
Austin, TX – Members of the U.S. Marshals (USMS) Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) continued their work of making Austin neighborhoods safer by apprehending three capital murder suspects on Wednesday.
The Austin Police Department (APD) requested assistance from the LSFTF to locate and apprehend three suspects sought on capital murder charges from an incident that occurred May 4, 2024, in the 1800 block of Colony Creek Drive in Austin, where a male victim was located lying face down from an apparent gunshot wound.
The APD Homicide Unit investigated the incident and identified three suspects who allegedly conspired and acted with one another to commit the murder.
On Feb. 7, the Homicide Unit obtained warrants on three suspects in the City of Austin Municipal Court and requested assistance from the LSFTF – Austin Division to locate and apprehend the three suspects who were last known to reside in the city.
Members of the LSFTF continued investigative efforts with the Austin Police Department Tactical Intelligence Unit that led to the apprehension of three suspects, who were considered armed and dangerous.
Aden Munoz, Aka, “Jermiah”, 18, of Austin, was arrested on in the 1900 block of Hearthside Drive in Austin.
Bethany Libby, Aka, “Sista Grace”, 37, of Austin, was arrested in the 7900 block of San Felipe Boulevard in Austin.
Michael Carter, Aka, “Kujo”, 23, of Austin, was arrested in the 900 block of Bedford Street in Austin.
All suspects have been transported and transferred to the Austin Police Department.
Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin:
Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
Georgetown, Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Departments
Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Offices
Texas Attorney General’s Office
Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
Texas Department of Public Safety
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
LOS ANGELES—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is working to raise awareness about online romance scams, also called confidence fraud. In this type of fraud, scammers take advantage of people looking for romantic partners on dating websites, apps, or social media by obtaining access to their financial or personal identifying information. Romance scams are prevalent, especially during this time of year.
Romance scams occur when a criminal uses a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. These scammers are present on most dating and social media sites. They look to establish a relationship as quickly as possible and endear themselves to the victim. Many may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person. Eventually, they will ask for money.
“Confidence fraud, or romance scams, can happen to anyone at any time. The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Individuals who are looking for love and companionship are the target victims of this online fraud. The FBI cautions everyone who may be romantically involved with a person online to proceed carefully and stay alert to warning signs. If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately.”
To avoid meeting in person, romance scammers often claim to live or work in other parts of the country or world. Eventually, when they feel they have gained the trust of their victims, these criminals will request money from them, oftentimes for a medical emergency, an unexpected legal fee, or some other false purpose.
Romance scams/confidence schemes have resulted in one of the highest amounts of financial losses when compared to other Internet-facilitated crimes. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, roughly 18,000 victims reported nearly $700,000,000 in losses in 2023, the most recent statistical year available.
That same year, over 2000 victims in California reported more than $100,000,000 in losses.
While anyone can fall victim to these schemes, bad actors are known to target women over age 40 who are widowed, divorced, elderly, or disabled.
If you develop a relationship with someone you meet online, please consider the following tips and beware of the red flags:
If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. If you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).
Resources:
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Fiscal Q2 Revenue up 14% to $19.1 Million
Achieves GAAP Profitability and Positive Cash Flow from Operations
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Fiscal Q2 2025 Results vs. Year-Ago Quarter
Management Commentary
“We delivered strong results across all key financial metrics in our fiscal second quarter while further enhancing our SuperSuite platform,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “Throughout the quarter, we continued to optimize operations and strengthen our presence across both our established and emerging sales channels. We also remain focused on supply chain diversification by exploring new supplier relationships beyond our existing network, reinforcing our commitment to building a more resilient and adaptable infrastructure.”
“Our SuperSuite platform is gaining further momentum as we leverage our superior supply chain, warehousing and merchandising expertise to drive sales growth for partners with innovative product catalogs. Additionally, we are making steady progress with our recently launched SaaS platform, refining its capabilities to improve supplier collaboration, streamline operations, and better align partners with evolving market demands. With a strong pipeline of prospective partners, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for SuperSuite as we bolster our comprehensive service offerings.”
iPower CFO, Kevin Vassily, added, “Our ongoing efforts to optimize our cost structure have delivered meaningful results as we continue to drive gross margin expansion and operating leverage in our business. We have also officially shuttered our legacy commercial hydroponics business, as we are now focused on our core competency as a data-driven, consumer products and services company. We believe these initiatives, coupled with our accelerating growth in our SuperSuite business, will enable us to execute on our goals ahead.”
Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
Total revenue in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 increased 14% to $19.1 million compared to $16.8 million for the same period in fiscal 2024. The increase was driven primarily by growth in iPower’s SuperSuite supply chain offerings, as well as greater product sales to the Company’s largest channel partner.
Gross profit in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 increased 15% to $8.4 million compared to $7.3 million in the same quarter in fiscal 2024. As a percentage of revenue, gross margin increased 40 basis points to 44.0% compared to 43.6% in the year-ago period. The increase in gross margin was primarily driven by improved pricing through key supplier negotiations.
Total operating expenses in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 improved 22% to $7.7 million compared to $9.9 million for the same period in fiscal 2024. The decrease in operating expenses was driven primarily by lower selling and fulfillment expenses related to the Company’s largest channel partner.
Net income attributable to iPower in the fiscal second quarter of 2025 improved to $0.2 million or $0.01 per share, compared to net loss attributable to iPower of $1.9 million or $(0.06) per share for the same period in fiscal 2024.
Cash and cash equivalents were $2.9 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $7.4 million at June 30, 2024. As a result of the Company’s debt paydown, total debt was reduced by 31% to $4.4 million compared to $6.3 million as of June 30, 2024.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call today, February 13, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its results for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2024.
iPower’s management will host the conference call, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
The conference call details are as follows:
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern time
Dial-in registration link: here
Live webcast registration link: here
Please dial into the conference call 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact the Company’s investor relations team at IPW@elevate-ir.com.
The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay in the Events & Presentations section of the Company’s website at www.meetipower.com.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that iPower believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. iPower undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although iPower believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and iPower cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results and performance in iPower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on September 20, 2024, and in its other SEC filings, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Investor Relations Contact
Sean Mansouri, CFA or Aaron D’Souza
Elevate IR
(720) 330-2829
IPW@elevate-ir.com
| iPower Inc. and Subsidiaries | |||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||||||
| As of December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | |||||||||||
| December 31, | June 30, | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| Current assets | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalent | $ | 2,877,457 | $ | 7,377,837 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 13,926,432 | 14,740,093 | |||||||||
| Inventories, net | 9,183,631 | 10,546,273 | |||||||||
| Prepayments and other current assets, net | 2,292,744 | 2,346,534 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 28,280,264 | 35,010,737 | |||||||||
| Non-current assets | |||||||||||
| Right of use – non-current | 4,757,429 | 6,124,163 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 303,059 | 370,887 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | 3,001,517 | 2,445,605 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 3,034,110 | 3,034,110 | |||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 3,306,014 | 3,630,700 | |||||||||
| Other non-current assets | 1,187,179 | 679,655 | |||||||||
| Total non-current assets | 15,589,308 | 16,285,120 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 43,869,572 | $ | 51,295,857 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable, net | 8,853,320 | 11,227,116 | |||||||||
| Other payables and accrued liabilities | 3,491,596 | 3,885,487 | |||||||||
| Lease liability – current | 1,540,624 | 2,039,301 | |||||||||
| Short-term loan payable | – | 491,214 | |||||||||
| Short-term loan payable – related party | 350,000 | 350,000 | |||||||||
| Revolving loan payable, net | – | 5,500,739 | |||||||||
| Income taxes payable | 274,947 | 276,158 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 14,510,487 | 23,770,015 | |||||||||
| Non-current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Long-term revolving loan payable, net | 4,042,400 | – | |||||||||
| Lease liability – non-current | 3,612,756 | 4,509,809 | |||||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 7,655,156 | 4,509,809 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 22,165,643 | 28,279,824 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingency | – | – | |||||||||
| Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and | |||||||||||
| outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | – | – | |||||||||
| Common stock, $0.001 par value; 180,000,000 shares authorized; 31,359,899 and | |||||||||||
| 31,359,899 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 | 31,361 | 31,361 | |||||||||
| Additional paid in capital | 33,867,156 | 33,463,883 | |||||||||
| Accumulated deficits | (12,041,063 | ) | (10,230,601 | ) | |||||||
| Non-controlling interest | (44,195 | ) | (38,204 | ) | |||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (109,330 | ) | (210,406 | ) | |||||||
| Total stockholders’ equity | 21,703,929 | 23,016,033 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 43,869,572 | $ | 51,295,857 | |||||||
| iPower Inc. and Subsidiaries | ||||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss | ||||||||||||||||||
| For the Three and Six Months Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
| REVENUES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Product sales | $ | 17,606,889 | $ | 16,800,122 | $ | 35,882,301 | $ | 43,308,496 | ||||||||||
| Service income | 1,465,682 | – | 2,198,791 | – | ||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 19,072,571 | 16,800,122 | 38,081,092 | 43,308,496 | ||||||||||||||
| COST OF REVENUES | ||||||||||||||||||
| Product costs | 9,461,119 | 9,481,882 | 19,378,567 | 24,231,411 | ||||||||||||||
| Service costs | 1,221,566 | – | 1,824,742 | – | ||||||||||||||
| Total cost of revenues | 10,682,685 | 9,481,882 | 21,203,309 | 24,231,411 | ||||||||||||||
| GROSS PROFIT | 8,389,886 | 7,318,240 | 16,877,783 | 19,077,085 | ||||||||||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES: | ||||||||||||||||||
| Selling and fulfillment | 4,628,914 | 6,936,980 | 10,543,722 | 17,000,451 | ||||||||||||||
| General and administrative | 3,077,365 | 2,933,607 | 8,396,888 | 5,897,658 | ||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 7,706,279 | 9,870,587 | 18,940,610 | 22,898,109 | ||||||||||||||
| INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS | 683,607 | (2,552,347 | ) | (2,062,827 | ) | (3,821,024 | ) | |||||||||||
| OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expenses | (140,672 | ) | (182,612 | ) | (280,634 | ) | (410,977 | ) | ||||||||||
| Loss on equity method investment | (802 | ) | (801 | ) | (1,721 | ) | (1,826 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other non-operating income (expenses) | (205,958 | ) | 128,838 | 12,728 | 61,672 | |||||||||||||
| Total other expenses, net | (347,432 | ) | (54,575 | ) | (269,627 | ) | (351,131 | ) | ||||||||||
| INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES | 336,175 | (2,606,922 | ) | (2,332,454 | ) | (4,172,155 | ) | |||||||||||
| PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT) | 120,511 | (688,939 | ) | (516,001 | ) | (964,821 | ) | |||||||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) | 215,664 | (1,917,983 | ) | (1,816,453 | ) | (3,207,334 | ) | |||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest | (3,155 | ) | (3,155 | ) | (5,991 | ) | (5,991 | ) | ||||||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO IPOWER INC. | $ | 218,819 | $ | (1,914,828 | ) | $ | (1,810,462 | ) | $ | (3,201,343 | ) | |||||||
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustments | 156,130 | (160,255 | ) | 101,076 | (160,962 | ) | ||||||||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO IPOWER INC. | $ | 374,949 | $ | (2,075,083 | ) | $ | (1,709,386 | ) | $ | (3,362,305 | ) | |||||||
| WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON STOCK | ||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 31,437,517 | 29,790,242 | 31,427,360 | 29,777,378 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted | 31,437,517 | 29,790,242 | 31,427,360 | 29,777,378 | ||||||||||||||
| EARNINGS (LOSSES) PER SHARE | ||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | |||||||
| Diluted | $ | 0.01 | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.06 | ) | $ | (0.11 | ) | |||||||
Source: Consumer NZ
Consumer NZ is warning New Zealanders to be on high alert this Valentine’s Day as romance scammers flip the typical scam protection advice on its head.
Ruairi O’Shea, Consumer NZ investigative writer, says romance scams are particularly insidious because they don’t follow the typical patterns associated with scams.
“Romance scams work because they bypass the red flags we’re trained to look out for. Instead of demanding urgent action or sending texts with links out of the blue, romance scammers build trust over months,” says O’Shea.
“And unlike an unsolicited text with a dodgy link, you may have even initiated first contact by swiping left on a dating app. It’s a slow burn, with scammers building trust before recommending investment opportunities or asking for intimate pictures that they could use to blackmail a person.
“Victims genuinely believe they’re in a relationship: they trust the other person implicitly and believe that person will act in their best interests.”
Between 2023 and 2024, a French woman was targeted by a scammer using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to successfully convince her she was speaking to the American actor Brad Pitt. She was scammed out of almost NZ$1.5 million.
“Romance scams can be utterly devastating because of the financial and emotional toll they take.
“Love is a strong incentive, and sadly, scammers know this and exploit it.”
Recognising these three ‘red flags’ can protect you from romance scams
The long game
Unlike traditional scams that rely on urgency, romance scammers play the long game. O’Shea says this slow-building trust makes victims more likely to overlook the more common or “typical” signs of a scam.
The investment
Once the scammer is confident they’ve established trust, they will begin exploiting.
“It might start with the scammer revealing a seemingly minor financial stress, and because they feel committed to this relationship, the victim may even proactively offer to help resolve the problem.
“Later, the scammer might casually recommend an investment opportunity, which, unfortunately, turns out to be fake.”
Strictly online
“It’s not new to hear of someone who is in a happy, committed relationship, with kids, a dog and a house, after having initially met their partner on a dating app.
“What is new, however, is the sophisticated way in which scammers are using AI to basically turbocharge their authenticity,” O’Shea says.
“Be suspicious if the person you meet online is reluctant to get together in the flesh. Their reasons for keeping a relationship secret or online can be incredibly convincing – health, travel, work, family – but if you can’t meet them in person, you shouldn’t trust them.”
4 don’ts to protect yourself and those you love (in real life) from romance scams
Don’t keep it on the down-low – talk to friends and family about online relationships: a fresh pair of eyes could help spot the signs of a scam.
Don’t give someone anything you wouldn’t post publicly on social media – this isn’t just intimate photographs but also your address or other potentially sensitive personal information.
Don’t send money to anyone you’ve only communicated with online – if you haven’t met someone in person, don’t give them anything of monetary value.
Don’t move to another messaging service – if you meet someone on a dating platform and they suggest moving to an encrypted messaging service like WhatsApp, be suspicious.
What to do if you’re the victim of a romance scam
If you’re the victim of a romance scam, contact the Police, Manaaki Tāngata Victim Support, your bank and Netsafe (the nation’s non-profit online safety organisation) immediately: a scam doesn’t necessarily end when a victim realises they’ve been scammed.
It’s also important to report online scams to CERT NZ, part of the National Cyber Security Centre. The National Cuber Security Centre runs Own Your Online and the service has helpful advice on how to spot a scam and what to do if you get caught out.
Source: US State of California Department of Justice
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, along with the attorneys general of New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Vermont, and the City and County of San Francisco, issued a joint statement in response to a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granting a preliminary injunction against President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order terminating birthright citizenship. On January 21, 2025, Attorney General Bonta, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell led a coalition of 19 states in filing a lawsuit challenging the order.
“President Trump may believe that he is above the law, but today’s preliminary injunction sends a clear message: He is not a king, and he cannot rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen.
“The President and his allies made clear long before he was sworn in that they would pursue this illegal action, and our coalition was prepared to challenge it as soon as President Trump fulfilled this unconstitutional campaign promise on Inauguration Day.
“We immediately stood up for our Constitution, for the rule of law, and for American children across the country who would have been deprived of their constitutional rights – and today we delivered for them. This is not yet over, and we will continue to fight every single step of the way until President Trump is permanently prevented from trampling on the Fourteenth Amendment rights of all Americans.”
President Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, fulfilling his campaign promise to end birthright citizenship, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. To stop the President’s unlawful action, which would have harmed hundreds of thousands of American children and their families, the coalition sued in the District of Massachusetts to invalidate the executive order and to enjoin any actions taken to implement it. The states requested immediate relief to prevent the President’s order from taking effect. The request was granted by Judge Leo Sorokin.
Birthright citizenship dates back centuries—including to pre-Civil War America. Although the Supreme Court’s notorious decision in Dred Scott denied birthright citizenship to the descendants of slaves, the post-Civil War United States adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to protect citizenship for children born in this country. As the filings explain, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that birthright citizenship does not depend on the immigration status of the baby’s parents.
If allowed to stand, this order would have, for the first time since the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted in 1868, meant thousands of babies born each year in California who otherwise would have been citizens would no longer enjoy the privileges and benefits of citizenship. The children whose citizenship would be stripped by the President’s order would lose their most basic rights and would be forced to live under the threat of deportation. They would lose eligibility for a wide range of federal services and programs. They would lose their ability obtain a Social Security number and, as they age, to work lawfully. And they would lose their right to vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices. Despite the Constitution’s guarantee of citizenship, thousands of children would — for the first time — lose their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges.
In addition to harming hundreds of thousands of residents, the President’s order would have significantly harmed the States themselves, too. Among other things, this order would cause the states to lose federal funding to programs that they administer, such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and foster care and adoption assistance programs, which all turn at least in part on the immigration status of the resident being served. States would also be required — at their considerable expense — to immediately begin modifying their operation and administration of benefits programs to account for this change, which would impose significant burdens on multiple agencies that operate programs for the benefit of the States’ residents. The States’ filings explain that they should not have to bear these dramatic costs while their case proceeds because the order is directly inconsistent with the Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and two U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
A copy of the court’s decision is available here. A copy of the preliminary injunction order is available here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to fight the spread of illicit xylazine. The Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act would classify this highly toxic sedative as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, while protecting its legitimate use in large animal veterinary medicine. Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and August Pfluger (R-Texas) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Attorney General Pam Bondi, on her first day in office, advocated for the scheduling of xylazine in an internal Department of Justice memo.
“Illicit xylazine is contributing to the national drug epidemic and driving up overdose deaths in communities across the country. Our nation’s laws must keep pace with emerging drug trends,” Grassley said. “This bipartisan bill recognizes the lethal threat of xylazine and provides law enforcement new tools to combat its spread, while ensuring veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen can continue to access the drug for legitimate animal treatment.”
“Xylazine poses a growing threat across the Silver State, and our law enforcement officers simply don’t have the tools they need to keep our communities safe from this dangerous drug,” said Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan, bicameral bill would crack down on illegal use of xylazine while protecting its legitimate use by veterinarians and ranchers. It’s time for Congress to act now and pass this life-saving legislation.”
Specifically, the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act would:
Classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act;
Enable the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to track xylazine’s manufacturing;
Require a report on prevalence, risks and recommendations to best regulate xylazine; and
Ensure veterinarians, farmers and ranchers can still use xylazine for its intended purpose – to treat large animals – by clearly defining “ultimate user” as someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use.
The Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act is endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
“The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act strikes the right balance of helping address the public health threat of illicit xylazine while maintaining veterinary access to this critical animal sedative,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Strongly endorsed by the AVMA, this legislation is essential to protecting our communities from the grave health and safety risks of illicit xylazine, upholding animal welfare, supporting public health, and ensuring our nation’s veterinarians are equipped with all the necessary resources to provide high-quality veterinary care.”
Additional cosponsors include Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
Find bill text HERE.
Background:
Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer that bad actors use as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. In 2022, the DEA found that 23 percent of the fentanyl powder seized across 48 states contained xylazine.
Grassley this Congress also introduced the bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently classify illicit, fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act. Both bills would provide law enforcement the tools they need to effectively combat the nation’s drug epidemic.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today during an executive business meeting highlighted whistleblowers’ first-person accounts of the retaliation and abuse they have suffered at the hands of current and former top FBI officials. Grassley’s comments came shortly before voting to advance Kash Patel’s nomination to be FBI Director. While reading the whistleblowers’ accounts into the congressional record, Chairman Grassley noted:
“I’d like to have the White House and my Republican colleagues take note of this, because I think some of these people should be reinstated because of how [un]justly they’ve been treated. And like you’ve heard me so many times say, whistleblowers are treated like a skunk at a picnic. And I hope my Democrat colleagues will learn a lesson about how the FBI has previously treated whistleblowers, both under Republican administrations and Democrat administrations. So that we don’t have this happening again.”
In a story this morning, RealClearInvestigations further detailed the plight of FBI whistleblowers.
A Weaponized FBI: It’s Real, Whistleblowers Testify, Boasting Scars to Prove It
By Ben Weingarten
November 13, 2025
Democrats have cast the Trump administration’s ouster of eight senior FBI leaders as a “purge” and act of “retribution” from a weaponized Justice Department, some likening it to President Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre.”
But former colleagues of the terminated “G-men” say this narrative is backward. FBI officials, past and present, have marshaled significant evidence via whistleblower complaints and testimony indicating that several terminated leaders routinely used their offices for partisan purposes.
These include allegations that at least two of the fired officials, Jeffrey Veltri and Dena Perkins, manipulated the security clearance review process to personally and professionally punish conservatives, COVID-19 vaccine skeptics, and Jan. 6 whistleblowers who reported suspected bureau malfeasance, and retaliated against those who came to the whistleblowers’ defense.
A third, Timothy Dunham, is also alleged to have improperly suspended security clearances.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) read numerous accounts of alleged misconduct perpetrated by these and other officials into the record this morning as the committee considered the nomination of Kash Patel for FBI Director…
Read the full RealClearInvestigations story HERE. Read Grassley’s full opening statement HERE.
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Source: The White House
Here are only a few examples:
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:
Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Non-official Members) visited Kai Tak Sports Park today (February 13) to tour various venues and facilities in the park.
ExCo Non-official Members accompanied by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum; and the Commissioner for Sports, Mr George Tsoi, were briefed by the staff on the design and planning of the Kai Tak Sports Park.
ExCo Non-official Members toured the Kai Tak Stadium which could accommodate 50 000 spectators. They learned about facilities such as the retractable roof, and the flexible pitch surface, customisable staging and seating configurations that can be adapted based on the scale and nature of events. They also visited other venues, including the Central Square, the Kai Tak Arena and the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground.
ExCo Non-official Members commended on the comprehensive facilities of the Kai Tak Sports Park, which is the largest sports infrastructure project in Hong Kong’s history and can host international sports and entertainment mega events. Apart from the three major venues, the Sports Park also features various retail, catering as well as leisure and entertainment facilities. They hoped that after the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong will host more large-scale international events, attracting more tourists from around the globe and further promoting Hong Kong as an events capital and a popular destination for global travelers. This would further expand the mega event economy and strengthen impetus for economic growth in Hong Kong.
ExCo Non-official Members were pleased to learn that relevant government departments and the Kai Tak Sports Park are preparing for the official opening in full steam. They wished for a successful opening ceremony.
Joining the visit were ExCo Non-official Members Professor Arthur Li, Mr Ronny Tong, Dr Moses Cheng, Mrs Margaret Leung, Mr Chan Kin-por and Mr Stanley Ng.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are at the scene of a serious crash at Porter Lagoon in the state’s mid north.
At 6.20am on Friday 14 February, emergency services were called to the Barrier Highway, 18 kms south of Burra after reports of a single truck roll over.
The Barrier Highway is closed between Black Springs and Hanson.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent SMS messages purported to be from HKeToll
Transport Department alerts public to fraudulent SMS messages purported to be from HKeToll
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The Transport Department (TD) today (February 14) alerted members of the public to fraudulent SMS messages purported to be issued by the HKeToll and provided a hyperlink with the domain name (http[:]//hketoll.taobaocainiao.top[/]ZA17vEtuG6) that lead to a fake HKeToll website, which seeks to deceive recipients into making payments and obtain their credit card information. The TD clarifies that the SMS messages were not issued by the HKeToll and has referred the case to the Police for follow-up. Members of the public are reminded that the HKeToll will not send SMS messages or emails to vehicle owners with hyperlinks which direct them to the websites to carry out transactions. If a vehicle owner wishes to pay an outstanding toll online, they must log in to the HKeToll website (hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app. Members of the public should stay alert when receiving unidentified messages. They should not visit suspicious websites and disclose any personal information. Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the websites concerned should contact the Police. For enquiries about the HKeToll, please call 3853 7333.
Ends/Thursday, February 13, 2025Issued at HKT 20:13
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 47, of Greenwich, New York, pled guilty today to charges that he distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of CSAM via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and possessed images of CSAM on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of CSAM by using non-pornographic images of known children and superimposing the faces of those children onto other images of CSAM he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 130,000 images of CSAM across his devices.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Dion may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the devices used in the offenses. Dion will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced an armed cocaine trafficker to five years in prison, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cleveland Pegues, 40, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after he is released from prison.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on March 15, 2023, CMPD officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Honda Accord for a traffic violation. The driver of the vehicle initially pulled over, but as the officers exited their vehicle the driver took off at a high rate of speed. As the vehicle sped away, the officers observed a bag being thrown from the passenger window. Officers recovered the bag which contained quantities of marijuana and cocaine. The officers also conducted a search of the area where the vehicle had traveled and located a stolen and loaded firearm. During the investigation, the officers determined that the driver of the vehicle was Pegues.
According to filed documents, on March 29, 2023, while surveilling Pegues, officers observed the defendant walking toward a truck, carrying bags. When Pegues saw the officers, he attempted to flee on foot, but he was quickly taken into custody. Court records show that Pegues had been carrying a shopping bag and a satchel. Officers searched the satchel, where they found a Pietro Beretta, Model 96A1, .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber and 10 rounds in the magazine; a stolen Smith and Wesson, Model 66, 357 Magnum revolver loaded with six rounds; and a Beretta magazine loaded with six rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Inside the shopping bag, officers found multiple plastic bags containing over 100 grams of cocaine packaged for distribution, quantities of MDMA and cocaine base, and more than half a kilogram of marijuana packaged in several bags. The officers also found digital scales and cash. Court documents show that law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pegues apartment, where they seized $7,000 in U.S. currency, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and a money counter.
On August 29, 2024, Pegues pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Pegues will remain in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons at a designated facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Eugene Wells, 73, of Marmet, pleaded guilty today to withholding records relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy from an officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2022, a Charleston business solely owned by Wells’ wife filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wells helped with the business’ day-to-day management, including by overseeing many of its financial affairs, but was never an employee of the business. Wells admitted that he applied for and obtained five loans in the business’ name after the bankruptcy filing, from February 2023 through February 2024. Wells further admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the loans to the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.
On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court held a hearing on the U.S. Trustee’s motion to dismiss the business’ bankruptcy case. That day, the bankruptcy lawyer for the business informed the U.S. Trustee of the existence of one of the four loans that Wells had obtained by that time in the business’ name. Wells admitted that during the motion hearing, including while the bankruptcy judge questioned him under oath, he did not disclose the existence of the other three loans. Wells further admitted that the fifth loan, obtained on February 8, 2024, was not approved by the bankruptcy court or disclosed to the U.S. Trustee. On February 21, 2024, the bankruptcy court dismissed the business’ bankruptcy case.
A total of $68,000 was obtained in proceeds from the five loans and used for the business’ operations. The lender charged the business $9,700 in fees.
Wells is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-7.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BILLINGS — A former U.S. Postal Service employee admitted to a theft charge today after he was accused of stealing mail when he tried to sell $850 worth of sports cards to a Billings sports memorabilia business that had attempted to ship the cards to a different customer, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Zachary Louis Simpson, 37, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by employee. Simpson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Simpson was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that between March 27, 2023 and April 3, 2024, Simpson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and sorted packages at the mail facility in Billings. Simpson had access to and was entrusted with mail during his shifts at the sorting facility. While employed with the Postal Service, Simpson stole packages from the sorting facility and took them home. On March 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General was contacted regarding Simpson. A sports memorabilia business in Billings notified law enforcement that Simpson came into the store to sell $850 of sports cards. The company realized that it had recently attempted to ship those same cards to a different customer through the mail. An investigation determined that the packages containing these cards had transited the postal sorting facility in Billings on a date Simpson was working. Law enforcement conducted a trash pull at Simpson’s residence and found dozens of empty packages in his trash that were addressed to other people at different locations. Investigators executed a search warrant at Simpson’s residence and seized more than 100 additional empty packages that were not addressed to Simpson. Agents also recovered more than 10,000 sports trading cards and other memorabilia. The Postal Service contacted a number of the victims whose packages were found in Simpson’s possession. Many reported that their packages contained sports trading cards that never reached the intended destination.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, conducted the investigation.
XXX
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON –Samuel Peaks, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of one count of first degree sexual abuse while armed with aggravating circumstances for a February 12, 2013 assault of a stranger in the 4400 block of Gault Place, NE, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Sentencing is scheduled in front of Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz for May 2, 2025. Peaks faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to the government’s evidence that was presented at trial, at approximately 6:00 a.m., on February 12, 2013, Peaks encountered the victim at the Minnesota Ave. Metro and tried to speak with her. The victim rejected his advances and walked away. The defendant followed her, brandished a gun, forced her to put a condom on his penis, and perform a sexual act on him. Peaks threw the condom on the ground afterward. The victim immediately reported to police, who responded and recovered the condom.
The condom was timely tested for DNA in 2013 and resulted in a mixture of DNA from the victim and an unknown male. The case was pending without an identification of a suspect until the defendant was arrested for an attempted homicide in Maryland in 2020, where his DNA was collected pursuant to Maryland’s DNA upon arrest law and entered into CODIS.
The defendant’s DNA was compared to the male profile from the seized condom developed in the 2013 DNA testing and was determined to be a match.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Zubrensky and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Folse and Raha Mokhtari, of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBUQUERQUE – A former student doctor pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Kevin Weiss, 28, admitted to producing an image of child sexual abuse material of a minor under age 18 by employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing that minor. Weiss also admitted he possessed other child sexual abuse material, including some showing very young children.
At sentencing, Weiss faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and not more than 50 years, followed by a minimum of 5 years and up to a term of life of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Jaymie L. Roybal and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Source: Amnesty International –
Justyna Wydrzyńska on trial for supporting a victim of domestic violence
Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe
‘Justyna should have never been put on trial in the first place because what she did should never be a crime’ – Esther Major
Following today’s Court of Appeal’s decision to refer the case of activist Justyna Wydrzyńska, for helping a pregnant woman to access abortion pills back to a lower instance court, Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Research in Europe, said:
“Today’s findings that the composition of the judges in the first instance court meant that Justyna Wydrzyńska did not have a fair trial gives the Prosecutor’s office the opportunity to withdraw the charges against her.
“Justyna should have never been put on trial in the first place because what she did should never be a crime. By supporting a woman who asked for help, Justyna showed compassion. By defending the right to safe abortion in Poland, Justyna showed courage. The Prosecutor’s office should now show the same.”
Helping a woman in need
In 2020 Justyna Wydrzyńska – a doula and one of the founders of the civil society organisation Abortion Dream Team – helped a pregnant woman who said she had been suffering from domestic violence to access abortion pills.
On 22 November 2021, she was charged with “helping with an abortion” and “possession of medicines without authorisation for the purpose of introducing them into the market”.
In March 2023, she was convicted of abetting an abortion and was sentenced to eight months of community service.
The court found today that Justyna didn’t have a fair trial as the judge in first court instance was not independently appointed.
Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. Abortion is only legal when the health or the life of the pregnant person is at risk or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Performing your own abortion or possession of abortion pills for a self-managed abortion is not a crime under Polish law, but any person or doctor who helps pregnant people with an abortion outside the two permitted grounds in the law may face up to three years in prison.
Take action here https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/JusticeforJustyna
Source: Amnesty International –
‘This is an opportunity to show that the UK will not allow China to buy its silence over human rights concerns’ – Felix Jakens
Ahead of the highly anticipated visit from China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is due to visit Britain today (Thursday 13 February) to hold talks with his British counterpart David Lammy in what is being seen as a sign that relations between the countries are ‘normalising’, Felix Jakens, Amnesty’s UK Head of Campaigns, said:
“With the prospect of resuming a strategic dialogue with China for the first time since 2018, the pursuit of trade must not inhibit frank conversations on human rights, which must be central to any diplomatic engagement.
“Talk of normalising relations with China, risks a defacto endorsement of the wholly abnormal industrial-scale abuse of human rights Beijing is overseeing across China, Hong Kong and beyond.
“David Lammy should be drawing serious red lines, rather than rolling out the red carpet when Wang Yi visits this week.
“We need to hear a public and strong condemnation of the brutal suppression of human rights activists, which is not only limited to mainland China or Hong Kong but has also spread to the UK through the transnational targeting of students and activists who speak out here. Hong Kong’s recent issuing of ‘Wild West’-style bounties on activists’ heads in the UK indicates the authorities believe they can intimidate and silence their critics overseas with impunity. It is completely unacceptable to see this sort of international witch hunt on UK soil and the most high-level visit in years must be a time to publicly vocalise UK Government outrage.
“The Foreign Secretary also needs to forcefully challenge the Chinese government over its systematic, industrial-scale repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, including subjecting people to forced labour.
“Mr Lammy must also demand the immediate release of Hong Kong and Chinese prisoners of conscience, including British national Jimmy Lai, human rights lawyers Chow Hang-tung and Ding Jiaxi, as well as long-held Uighur economist Ilham Tohti.
“This is an opportunity to show that the UK will not allow China to buy its silence over human rights concerns.”
Long arm of Chinese state repression
The Chinese authorities routinely target peaceful critics via pervasive online censorship, arbitrary arrest, detention and torture. Human rights defenders, pro-democracy activists and religious leaders and practitioners have been among those subjected to systematic persecution. The widespread repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet has continued despite significant international criticism.
In Hong Kong, journalists, broadcasters and book publishers have been among those prosecuted and imprisoned under the territory’s notorious National Security Law and other repressive legislation, while civil society organisations both in Hong Kong and abroad have faced criminal charges or harassment for their legitimate activities. The long arm of Chinese state repression has meant that Chinese and Hong Kong communities in the UK, other parts of Europe and North America have all suffered various kinds of threats and intimidation, part of a sinister pattern of “transnational repression”.
On 24 December, Hong Kong police announced a third round of HK$1million (about £105,000) bounties for information that would lead to the arrest of six democracy advocates based overseas whom they accused of national security crimes. To date, 19 Hong Kong overseas activists have been targeted, most of whom live in the UK.
Source: Amnesty International –
Day one of Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial
Photos of protest outside Royal Court of Justice available via link below
‘Shell must take responsibility for the poisoning they have caused both directly and indirectly and commit to cleaning up their toxic mess’ – Peter Frankental
Activists and speakers – including King Okabi of the Ogale community – today called for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation for the damage they have done on day one of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial.
Amnesty International UK, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), AFRICA: Seen & Heard and Justice 4 Nigeria marked the start of the trial with the stunt ‘Ecocide Babe’ by British-Nigerian artist-activist The Crude Madonna outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
For 60 years Shell’s oil spills and leaks due to poorly maintained pipelines, wells and inadequate clean-up attempts that have ravaged the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta – most of whom live in poverty.
More than 13,500 Ogale and Bille residents in the Niger Delta have filed claims against Shell over the past decade demanding the company clean up oil spills that they say have wrecked their livelihoods and caused widespread devastation to the local environment. They can’t fish anymore because their water sources, including their wells for drinking water, are poisoned and the land is contaminated which has killed plant life, meaning communities can no longer farm.
Ahead of the start of the trial, a stunt supported by the organisations (listed above) by The Crude Madonna – representing Niger Delta womanhood and resistance – wore traditional Nigerian dress and gold-painted Shell-shaped medallions saying ‘hell’ and ‘oil’ coated with ‘crude oil’ and holding the Ecocide Babe Alera (which means ‘it is enough’ in the local Khana language) with crude oil congealed around the baby’s mouth.
Created by artists The Crude Madonna and THE DnA FACTORY MRSS, the Ecocide Babe symbolises the devastating effect of Shell’s oil pollution on fertility, pregnancy and infant health in the region as well as its overall impact on communities and the environment.
Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK’s Business and Human Rights Director, said:
“This vividly powerful performance highlights the devastation that people across the Niger Delta have suffered for so long. Shell must take responsibility for the poisoning they have caused both directly and indirectly and commit to cleaning up their toxic mess before they leave the region.
“Shell must not be allowed to leave without making sure the Niger Delta’s land and water are 100 percent clean of their petrochemical poison. It is vital that the affected communities are properly compensated and that they are fully involved in the legal process and their demands are reflected in the final ruling.”
A protest also took place in Ogoniland in the Niger Delta as the trial began.
Shell plc is domiciled in London and should be legally responsible for the environmental failures of its subsidiary company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.
Please see photos in link: https://marieanne.smugmug.com/Niger-Delta-communities-vs-Shell All photos credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK
Image 1: Lazarus Tamana of MOSOP and The Crude Madonna protest Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta outside the Royal Courts of Justice at the start the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK
Images 2-4: Activists protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice at the start of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK
Image 5: The Crude Madonna holding the Ecocide Babe with crude oil congealed around the baby’s mouth – Niger Delta communities take Shell to court for Shell’s devastating pollution of the region. Credit M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK
Image 6: King Okpabi of the Ogale community outside the court calls for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation for the damage it has done. Credit: M-A Ventoura/Amnesty International UK
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Yeh Fei “Jim” Chu discusses his experience being charged with an antitrust crime by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and living as a fugitive for approximately five years before pleading guilty to resolve his case.
Note: This video contains excerpts from an interview Mr. Chu recorded as part of his community service obligations.
Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Peru, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, while asking about the high percentage of the workforce in the informal sector and sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui region.
Michael Windfuhr, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights.
Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said the Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector?
Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said it was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
Concerning the informal sector, the delegation said Peru had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector.
The delegation said the State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
Luis Fernando Domínguez Vera, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Windfuhr thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders.
In his concluding remarks Mr. Domínguez Vera thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
The delegation of Peru was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to conclude its consideration of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom (E/C.12/GBR/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).
Presentation of Report
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. Approximately 99.8 per cent of inhabitants were currently covered by health insurance. Non-resident foreigners diagnosed with HIV or tuberculosis were authorised to enrol for insurance.
To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The Cooperation Fund for Social Development had intervened in 573 population centres, financing development projects, and there were also other programmes providing monetary incentives to vulnerable households. One programme benefited 1.5 million people in poverty in rural areas from 2019 to 2024, promoting access to health services, justice and development, financial inclusion, and education.
To ensure the prevention of forced labour, a new protocol against forced labour was approved in 2023, which committed public institutions to a comprehensive and multisectoral approach to cases of forced labour with a victim-centred approach. Since 2003, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour had been working with public and private non-profit institutions on activities to prevent child labour. The national policy for the prevention and eradication of child labour was also being formulated. The child labour rate had been reduced by 5.8 percentage points from 2012 to 2023.
To prevent gender-based violence, the Ministry of Health had carried out training workshops and counselling sessions to promote healthy cohabitation for couples, and as of 2024, had trained 155,600 health professionals on the subject. As part of State nutritional programmes for pregnant women and children, half a million children aged up to 12 months and over 94,000 pregnant women were supported and around seven million home visits were made from February to November 2024.
To reduce gaps in educational performance, a sectoral policy to strengthen intercultural and bilingual education was being drawn up. To address school dropouts, since 2012, bicycle kits had been distributed to the poorest educational institutions in rural areas, and an intervention was created in 2018 to support river transport in the Amazon area. Both interventions benefitted more than 90,000 students.
With regard to drinking water and sanitation services, the Government had implemented various strategies to reduce issues related to access, quality and sustainability of drinking water and sanitation services in the country. The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation was developing two important drinking water, sewerage and wastewater treatment projects that would support access to these services for more than 83,000 people in Lima and Callo. In July 2024, the State approved a roadmap towards a circular economy in drinking water and sanitation, which would promote the efficient use of drinking water and the reuse of wastewater.
Peru remained firmly committed to becoming more sustainable. In 2024, environmentally friendly investment projects were launched in sectors such as mining, transportation, electricity, hydrocarbons, agriculture, sanitation and health.
The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. Further, the “alert service against racism” guided citizens on actions to be taken in the face of discrimination and the recently approved “Peru without racism 2030” strategy aimed to improve procedures to guarantee citizens timely attention to cases of ethnic or racial discrimination.
The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society. It had approved the National Multisectoral Human Rights Policy 2040, which aimed to achieve substantial progress in social inclusion and respect for human rights. The State would continue to work for the full exercise of economic, social and cultural rights for all people, with the national multisectoral human rights policy 2040 as a guide. The State’s multisectoral efforts to eradicate inequality and discrimination and the dialogue with the Committee would allow Peru to continue to implement the Covenant efficiently.
Questions by a Committee Expert
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said Peru’s Constitution covered economic, social and cultural rights in a comprehensive manner. How often was the Covenant used in court rulings? Were judges trained in Covenant rights? How did economic, social and cultural rights inform policy making? How was the national human rights institution dealing with economic, social and cultural rights and related complaints? Were rules regarding the election of the Ombudsman in line with the Paris Principles? Did the State party plan to ratify the individual complaints procedure for the Covenant and to revisit ratification of the Escazú Agreement?
The Committee was concerned by repeated declarations of states of emergency by Peru, including in connection with social protests. Also of concern was the frequent deployment of the armed forces during states of emergency and for domestic law and order tasks. There were multiple reports of violent suppression of protesters and other human rights violations occurring at protests in 2020 and 2023. What was the State party doing to prevent violence against and intimidation of protestors? The State had been criticised for describing protests as “terrorist activities”, a severe step given Peru’s strict anti-terrorism legislation. How did the State party plan to change discourse around protests? What was the intention of the new law on the control of the finances of civil society organizations?
Human rights defenders in Peru reportedly faced threats to their life and family, as well as intimidation and sanctions, particularly for activists protesting mining, oil, and agricultural projects. There had been an increase in murders of indigenous community leaders defending their territories. The Committee welcomed the State’s decision to finance an office to investigate abuse of human rights defenders. How many attacks against human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders, had the State party recorded? How would the State party prevent attacks against human rights defenders and delays in justice for victims?
How did the State party ensure free, prior and informed consent from indigenous communities for development projects and protection for indigenous territories? Mr. Windfuhr welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights. What were the sectors with the highest risks of human rights violations? How did the State party monitor human rights impacts in the extractive and agricultural sectors? What measures were in place to support small-scale indigenous farmers and indigenous peoples?
The Committee welcomed the State party’s national climate change adaptation plan and disaster preparedness activities. What progress had been made in meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets? Why had 38 new licences for the exploitation of hydrocarbons been granted? How did the State party control the impact of deforestation activities and hydrocarbon spillages? How did it assess its climate change adaptation projects? Several legislative decrees from 2013 to 2015 had weakened environmental regulation and oversight, preventing the imposition of fines on polluting companies. Were there plans to revise these?
Public spending in health, education and sport had increased up to 2018. How had spending progressed since then? Twenty-seven per cent of the population lived in poverty and five per cent in extreme poverty in 2022, compared to 20 and three per cent respectively in 2019. The tax system reportedly did little to alleviate poverty. How would the State party reform tax policies to reduce inequality and address poverty? Around one per cent of the population held one-third of the State’s income. How would the State party promote income equality and prevent corruption?
The Committee welcomed efforts to promote respect for the rights of women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons through national action plans. Several plans had terminated in 2021; had they been renewed? Was the State party planning new policies to sanction non-State actors that violated the rights of vulnerable groups?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru was a democratic State that respected human rights, and rejected allegations to the contrary. It did not persecute persons who expressed their opinions freely. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had in 2024 noted the efforts that Peru had exerted to implement its recommendations related to the protection of the rights of protesters. In December 2022, a multi-sectoral commission was set up to address the needs of wounded persons and the family members of persons who had died in protests. An investigation had been carried out into incidents occurring during the 2022 and 2023 protests, and a directive had been developed to ensure appropriate human rights-based responses from the police to protests. A human rights office had also been established in the police force.
The procedure for electing the Ombudsman had not changed; it was determined by the Constitution. The Constitution stipulated that all international instruments ratified by Peru could be applied directly by the justice system. Peru was considering ratification of the Escazú Agreement.
Peru had established an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders and a platform through which human rights defenders could make complaints. Eight regional roundtables had been established on the protection of human rights defenders in areas in which they were active.
As part of actions under the national action plan on business and human rights, the State had trained 197 public and private sector workers on business and human rights and had developed a training programme for trade unions. Awareness raising campaigns on due diligence had also been developed.
The COVID-19 pandemic had increased poverty rates in Peru. The State party was collecting data to inform targeted policies to support vulnerable households. A multi-sectoral committee and strategy aiming to reduce urban poverty had been established. The Government was working to increase access to State services for low-income households. There were State benefits for early childhood, students, and households living in poverty. The State had also implemented a programme promoting access to school feeding programmes.
The “CONACOT” National Council on Discrimination was working to promote human rights and peaceful coexistence and assessing individual complaints related to discrimination. Awareness raising campaigns had been carried out to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. The Council had developed a platform for reporting discrimination and monitoring follow-up to cases.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on plans to address threats against human rights defenders from private actors; plans to develop a general anti-discrimination law; whether the State party had a system for monitoring recommendations from the treaty bodies; the contributions that civil society had made to the State party’s report; the standards in place to guarantee the right to free, prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples; steps taken by the Government to combat illegal mining, which had allegedly destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest and leaked large volumes of mercury into the Amazon River; measures to regularise the mining sector and ensure that legislative reforms did not promote impunity for illegal miners; progress made in implementing the national policy for persons with disabilities; reasons why the budget for supporting persons with disabilities had been reduced; barriers to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; and plans to close down the Ministry for Women.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru had a law against acts of discrimination, which imposed punishments for perpetrators of such acts. All public policies and programmes promoted inclusion and the redistribution of wealth. The Ministry for Justice and Human Rights included a body that followed up on recommendations from human rights protection bodies, and a national digital platform had been set up to manage and monitor responses to these recommendations. There were national standards for free, prior and informed consent and judicial remedies were available in cases of violations of citizens’ rights.
Job centres matched job seekers’ skills to employers’ needs. Economic incentives and a range of other policies were in place to promote access to employment, including self-employment, for young persons living in poverty.
The Government had yet to decide whether to merge the Ministry of Women with other ministries. Whether or not the merger took place, the State would continue to implement this ministry’s mandate.
Questions by a Committee Expert
KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked whether the State party had updated the national action plan on forced labour and related strategies. What measures were in place to strengthen the capacity of the National Commission on Forced Labour? Current measures were reportedly not sufficient for promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities into formal employment. There were no sanctions for companies that did not respect disability quotas. What measures were in place to provide training on reasonable accommodation and ensure that workplaces were accessible?
The Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector? Temporary contracts could be renewed for up to five years for an unlimited number of times. Were there plans to reform legislation on temporary contracts to limit their use?
What criteria were used to establish and update the minimum wage? What measures had the State party taken to ensure appropriate oversight of the informal sector to prevent adolescents from engaging in dangerous work? How was the Government promoting trade union representation and informing workers about trade union rights? What sectors were restricted from engaging in strikes? How did the State party ensure effective protection from reprisals for strikers?
How did the State party ensure that social services had sufficient resources? The International Labour Organization had called for a comprehensive protection system for the unemployed. What progress had been made on its implementation?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said reports on the implementation of annual disability policies had been published by the State, including in Easy Read format. There were State programmes in place promoting persons with disabilities’ access to employment. A forum had been set up that displayed job information tailored to persons with disabilities, and job fairs for persons with disabilities were also held in various regions. The State party provided training to public officials and private sector employers on promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in workplaces and providing reasonable accommodation.
The State party had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector. Since 2021, the Directorate for the Settlement of Labour Disputes had conducted 213 interventions to settle disputes between employers and employees. There had been 17 trade unions established in the agricultural sector since 2021. Around 540,000 workers in Peru were affiliated with a union; affiliation with unions was voluntary.
The State party was drafting a new policy aimed at the eradication of forced labour and it hoped to conclude these efforts in coming weeks. Peru had developed three national action plans on combatting forced labour, the most recent of which ended in 2022. This plan had had a positive impact, with over 70 per cent of its measures having been effectively implemented. A national day for the eradication of forced labour had been established, and data collection on forced labour had been strengthened. Outreach on preventing forced labour was conducted nationally.
Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the number of people benefitting from programmes promoting employment of persons with disabilities; measures to resolve wage disputes involving persons with disabilities; disaggregated data on access to social services in the State party; plans to reform the pension system to make it more sustainable and to guarantee a minimum income for all older persons; measures to protect workers in the mining industry from acts of violence and intimidation; measures to ensure the traceability of illegally mined gold, prevent illegal mining, and provide remedies for harms caused; how the labour inspection system addressed the situation in remote areas; and protections for workers in the illegal mining sector.
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked about measures to guarantee access to protection and justice services for women victims of violence. To what extent had protective legislation been implemented? Why were acts of femicide and domestic violence still prevalent in the State party despite legislative developments? What measures were in place to tackle systemic sexual violence in schools, particularly in rural areas?
How would the State party effectively implement the prohibition of child marriage and make all such unions void? How would it tackle de-facto unions? What measures were in place to combat child labour in agricultural and mining sectors?
Was the State party planning to bolster protections against forced evictions? There was a clear disparity between social classes in terms of access to housing. How would the State party address this? How was it supporting access to water infrastructure in rural areas and preventing the contamination of water sources by extractive industries? Around 31 per cent of the population was exposed to heavy metal pollution in water sources. What measures were in place to combat overexploitation of natural resources by extractive industries?
What programmes were in place to combat malnutrition? How did the State ensure that indigenous communities could benefit from food distribution programmes? How was the Government tackling child malnutrition and anaemia? What measures were in place to bolster the national healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, and to combat the shortage of pharmaceutical products? How was the State party supporting access to quality mental health services in rural areas and preventing suicides, tackling HIV infections in indigenous communities, and combatting discrimination against persons suffering from HIV? How was it supporting access to contraception and abortions and preventing obstetric violence? What support systems were available for girls who were victims of rape and incest?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said in 2024, the Congress presented a bill to adapt the scope of Peruvian sign language and ensure public and private entities would provide for it. This was being carried out to enhance the implementation of Peruvian sign language.
Persons who were self-employed were included in the informal economy. The Ministry of Labour undertook different activities to ensure the self-employed could transit to a formal economy. Guidelines had been adopted to strengthen the production of formal and decent self-employment to guide actions to promote self-employment at all levels of Government.
The General Directorate of Employment had been looking at adolescents who worked for others to ensure decent working conditions for them and avoid the worst forms of child labour. The State had a model to identify and eradicate child labour. Peru dealt with cases identified in different authority areas. When it came to monitoring and oversight of children engaged in dangerous jobs, the National Labour Inspectorate had a special unit for child and forced labour. This meant there was detailed supervision by this unit that carried out investigations and checks to determine if any children or adolescents were involved in dangerous jobs.
Educational programmes were being implemented in rural areas, including a programme for secondary education with only part-time attendance. Another part-time educational programme was in place to promote the development of communities through different learning models. National legislation on union rights was in line with what was established with international fora, including the International Labour Organization. The Labour Inspection Unit had the ability and resources to ensure the existence of the right to strike, pursuant to Peruvian law and international standards. The Labour Inspectorate Service carried out monitoring and oversight activities to protect the rights of workers. The unit had made a significant step in putting in place the Trade Union Rights Unit. This team included inspectors who had specific training on cases relating to the right to strike.
Around 2,331 persons with disabilities were registered in the job centre of the Ministry of Labour in 2024 and 1,724 persons obtained an employment certificate. In 2024, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities investigated 105 public entities and 103 sanctions were issued due to non-compliance with the employment quotas. Around 90.7 per cent of the population had reported as having some kind of health insurance, with the figures being higher in rural areas.
It was difficult to access some of the most remote areas in the country. In these cases, a system of documentary checks was used to allow inspections to be carried out without physical visits. There was a database of indigenous communities, including qualitative and geographical information. This allowed different levels of Government to implement public policies for indigenous peoples and guarantee their rights.
Between 2017 and 2018, Peru changed its approach to combat corruption. Instead of doing this retroactively, it was now part of the comprehensive policy for integrity and combatting corruption. There were specialised prosecutors to deal with the scourge of corruption, and these cases were conducted independently, including in the cases of public officials.
A specialised justice system had been created in 2018 to punish any acts of violence against women by members of their families. Violence against women and girls had reached its most acute stage, which meant the need to adopt differentiated approaches. During the pandemic, a legislative decree was passed to guarantee protection measures to victims of gender-based violence. Several instruments had been passed to support women victims of violence. The Peruvian State would continue to try and tackle violence against women head on.
There were 60 services under the public prosecutor’s service, 25 of which were connected to legal aid under the specialised justice system. Numerous steps had been implemented to address the issue of femicides. One of the main leaps forward was the implementation of the national system of justice for protection. Furthermore, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations had a direct link to victims of femicide and their family members through the support centres which had been created to tackle emergency situations. Steps had been taken to try and establish support campaigns for victims of femicide within these centres. A mobile application provided information on services for gender-based violence and could be used to privately contact a platform for help and share location to trusted contacts. Medical and psychological assistance was provided to child victims of femicide on an individual and monthly basis.
The Peruvian State was committed to reducing the levels of social tolerance to victims of violence in Peru. The high levels of violence against children in the Amazonas region was a priority for the State, and there were multiple challenges in this regard. Since August 2024, the State had adopted the plan to address sexual abuse against children and adolescents in the Condorcanqui in the Amazonas area; 607 teachers had reports of sexual violence levied against them. In 2022, a pact was introduced for indigenous youth, which included specific activities for implementation in the Amazonas area. In 2024, training was carried out for indigenous women to enhance their leadership and organizational skills.
The State had adopted a law to prohibit the marriage of children. Any minor had the ability to request the annulment of a marriage contracted prior to the law entering into force. There were no registered cases of child marriage.
A decree had been approved promulgating a social housing rule. The law on buildings in rural areas had been amended, and the building of social housing was promoted to make up for the housing shortages. Progress had been made in recent years, in water and sanitation, including decreasing the gap between rural and urban areas.
Questions by Committee Experts
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for more information about activities relating to illegal mining and deforestation. Corruption could have a significant impact relating to the implementation of all public policies. What challenges did the State face when combatting corruption? What measures were being taken to combat corruption?
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said corruption was a major issue when it came to land transfers. How was the State able to control corruption in these cases? How could labour rights be controlled everywhere if officials could not travel there? How did the written submissions work?
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said more than 300 persons of Peruvian nationality were being detained in the United States, awaiting deportation. A growing number of Peruvian nationals had been deported already and others were leaving the country. What measures had the Government put in place to receive these persons and re-include them in society?
An Expert asked how the system was monitored to ensure the water supply complied with national standards, considering the difficult geographic conditions mentioned?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there was a legislative framework which had been harmful to economic, cultural and social rights. Peru was a sovereign State which respected international human rights law. Standards and rules were approved via a legislative process befitting of a democratic State. If there were any rules which ran counter to any treaty or agreement, they could be called into question. There was a national oversight mechanism.
The Government was fighting corruption head on. There had been a change of approach in the State to a preventive approach, and there was now a special unit on corruption which guided national policy in this area. The geography of Peru meant that the State was dealing with certain idiosyncrasies.
Illegal mining was a crime defined in Peru’s Legal Code. Small-scale mining was being formalised and there was an associated extraordinary process and specific decrees which defined this activity as one taken in a non-prohibited area. Peru currently had a health directive and multisectoral plan to deal with people who had been exposed to heavy metals and other toxins. Steps had been taken to identify the early steps of lead poisoning within the community. Peru guaranteed the exercise of consultation and there was a technical body specialised in this area; 98 prior consultation processes applying these provisions had been held.
There had been a significant increase in cases of mental health since 2018. Steps had been taken to ensure harmonious cohabitation and avoid inter-family violence. In Peru, domestic violence was a major problem, and as such psychological support was being provided to victims of violence. Steps were also being taken to create safe environments to prevent risk, and roll out campaigns for girls and women in the field of mental health. The State rolled out a multisectoral plan to prevent teenage pregnancy, which had yielded significant results. A technical guide had been developed for therapeutic abortion before 22 weeks.
There was a group that contacted nationals who had been deported under the migration policy of the United States to ensure they were provided with basic services.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for details on public spending in 2024 and plans for 2025 earmarked for education? There had been reports of a drop in the quality of education in Peru. What measures had the State taken to reverse the deterioration in levels of reading among primary school students? Recently, the Ministry of Education through its website revealed more than 19,000 cases of violence reported in schools. What specific measures was the State planning to take in this regard? Were there protocols or procedures in place to respond to these cases?
It was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and to punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
The Committee was aware of the prohibition of using pupils in the education system to promote any political beliefs and aims. How was it guaranteed that teachers did not politically manipulate pupils? Were teacher salaries in Peru competitive? How did they compare to the minimum or average wage in Peru? There had been public criticism about the school meal programme, Qalia Warma, including that children did not receive enough nutrients. There had been cases of using horse meat instead of meat, offal, and food which was mouldy or contained vermin faeces. Would there be changes made to this service? How was the distribution of these foods monitored? Had the State identified the companies which provided the substandard foods? Did they still hold contracts with them? What steps had been taken to ensure accountability of the State authorities responsible? What would be done to ensure that this did not happen in the future?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the State of Peru rejected all forms of violence, particularly against children. The State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress, to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. Sampling of HIV and syphilis had been carried out in more than 30 indigenous communities. There were 18 local authority protection networks in place.
The feeding programme provided food to 18 residential facilities and more than 30,000 students benefitted in the Condorcanqui province. The State provided technical assistance to operators working in rural areas. Care had been provided to 100 communities that benefitted from a mobile justice system. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
In 2025, there was a planned budget for education for over 49 billion Solis. In 2022, steps had been taken to close the digital gap in rural and urban areas in primary and secondary schools. Mobile educational material and digital content gave teachers and students the opportunity to learn in different contexts.
Punishment had been issued for workers who had allegedly been involved in corruption in the Qali Warma school food programme. Reports had been lodged with the prosecution service to ensure legal steps were taken against workers and providers. Those who had breached agreements were to be held to account. There was a focus to prevent corruption and there were channels to report this.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked if justice settings provided translation in the original languages of Peru? To what extent could parents have influence in the drafting of the school curriculum? What measures was the State offering to provide comprehensive sexual reproductive education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were hubs where culturally sensitive advice was provided free of charge. There were more than 600 cultural hubs throughout the country. Programmes had been launched at schools to prevent teenage pregnancies.
Closing Remarks
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee’s concluding observations aimed to provide constructive feedback. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders. It was important for the State to reduce fear and complications around civil society to improve the outcome on economic, social and cultural rights.
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru was a democratic State that respected the rule of law and allowed anyone to express their beliefs. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
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CESCR25.003E
Source: United Nations – Geneva
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka, with Committee Experts praising the State’s national action plan on women, peace and security, and raising questions about the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, which permitted child marriage, and domestic violence.
One Committee Expert said the national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict. Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan?
Yamila González Ferrer, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law. Were there plans to further amend the law, including to ban child marriage?
Another Committee Expert said at least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it. What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act? What protections were provided to women victims of violence?
Introducing the report, Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality. This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024.
Ms. Paulraj said Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched. The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda. The delegation added that the action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding. The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.
On the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding its amendment. It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights. Ms. Paulraj added that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.
On domestic violence, the delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended; the amended Act would come into force this year. The Assistance to Victims Act underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance. A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.
In closing remarks, Ms. Paulraj said the Sri Lankan Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment. It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.
In her concluding remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and difficulties it was facing. She commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all Sri Lankan women and girls.
The delegation of Sri Lanka consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs; Attorney General’s Department; Sri Lanka Police; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism; and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Sri Lanka at the end of its ninetieth session on 21 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to consider the sixth periodic report of Liechtenstein (CEDAW/C/LIE/6).
Report
The Committee has before it the ninth periodic report of Sri Lanka (CEDAW/C/LKA/9).
Presentation of Report
SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said the Sri Lankan Government was committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality. This review held particular significance, as it was the country’s first engagement with an international human rights treaty body since the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024 and the formation of the new Government in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was proud to have a member from Sri Lanka in the Committee, Rangita de Silva de Alwis. Her contribution to this Committee’s work was highly appreciated.
Ms. Paulraj said she was the first Tamil Member of Parliament elected from the Southern Province, which had a predominantly Sinhala community. Women’s representation in Sri Lanka’s Parliament had risen from 4.8 to 9.7 per cent with the election of 22 female members in November 2024. These women included individuals from the working class and marginalised communities, including, for the first time in history, two women from the Malayaga community.
Sri Lanka was proud to have its third female Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. One of the Government’s key electoral pledges had been to ensure the equal representation of women in Government. Appointing a woman to the post of Deputy Chairman of Committees of Parliament for the first time was another milestone. The Sri Lankan judiciary also had a high percentage of women at senior levels. Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors in Sri Lanka were women. Across all levels of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic service, women were in the majority. During the reporting period, Sri Lanka Police appointed four female Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the first female Director of the Criminal Investigation Department. Many women had been appointed to the Government’s decision-making councils, commissions and boards.
The Government had made a policy commitment to reduce the burden of unpaid care work for women. Women played a crucial role in driving the economy in Sri Lanka, with their contributions being essential in generating income across key sectors. Women made up most of the workforce in industries such as garments, plantations, and as migrant workers. For the first time, a woman had been appointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association in the corporate sector.
The Government had introduced several initiatives to support economic recovery and empower citizens, particularly focusing on women and youth. One notable proposal was the establishment of a new development bank aimed at providing new entrepreneurs, including rural and disadvantaged women, with loans without the requirement for collateral. The Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau was the national mechanism implementing projects and programmes for the social and economic development of women from national to grassroots level.
The Women Empowerment Act of 2024 introduced mechanisms to give effect to the obligations undertaken by Sri Lanka in relation to the Convention, and defined women’s right to equality and non-discrimination. A key component of this Act was to establish an independent National Commission on Women, and to provide provisions for the appointment of a Woman Ombudsperson on ensuring women’s rights and setting up a National Fund for Women.
The Land Development (Amendment) Act of 2022 had brought in provisions to ensure gender equality and non-discrimination in land inheritance. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus had suggested setting a minimum age for marriage and establishing a multi sectoral committee to address this issue.
Addressing sexual and gender-based violence was a key priority for the Government. It would establish mechanisms to prioritise and expedite the resolution of cases involving sexual offences against women and minors, ensuring that victims received timely redress. The progress review of the first national action plan to address sexual and gender-based violence for the period 2016-2020 found a 70 per cent level of implementation. Thereafter, a second plan for the period 2024-2028 was launched in 2024. This plan focused on prevention programmes in schools, places of work, and community-based initiatives, as well as programmes on engaging men to address gender-based violence.
Children and Women Desks had been newly established in police stations, and the Government would also double the allocation for 2025 for the establishment and expansion of shelter homes for women.
Sri Lanka’s first national action plan for women, peace and security for 2023 to 2027 had been launched. The action plan was developed through an inclusive process of broad consultations with survivors of conflict and vulnerable women and children. The Government was committed to realising the full promise of the women, peace and security agenda.
Technology-facilitated gender-based violence was another pressing challenge that Sri Lanka was facing. The Government was working to implement stronger laws and policies to protect individuals from privacy violations, online stalking, and hate speech. Sri Lanka was a party to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which focused on addressing online and technology-facilitated violence against women. The Online Safety Act of 2024 aimed to protect the vulnerable sections of the society in line with international standards.
Sri Lanka was committed to upholding human rights, gender equality, and social justice. Its foremost priority was to ensure that no one was left behind. Sri Lankan women had been active participants in the country’s development agenda and the Government was committed to addressing existing challenges and supporting women to carry out this role.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that Sri Lanka’s Constitution established that all persons had the right to live free from discrimination. However, this was not yet a reality. Sri Lanka was in the process of drafting a new Constitution. Were there plans to incorporate the rights of women and girls into the Constitution? Proposals had been made to reform criminal laws to remove discriminatory provisions affecting women related to marriage. What progress had been made in this regard?
The national human rights institution had “A” status under the Paris Principles. What actions had it implemented to protect women’s rights? Were its complaints mechanisms effective? Were there plans to update the national action plan on human rights? There were several obstacles limiting the capacity of the judicial system to protect women affected by sexual and gender-based violence and domestic violence. How was the State party strengthening the judiciary and reducing trial times?
The death penalty was legal in Sri Lanka. Although there was a de facto moratorium in place, courts continued to sentence women to death, often not considering mitigating circumstances such as gender-based violence. Could the State party provide data on women sentenced to death? Had the Convention been invoked before the courts?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that the Constitution guaranteed the right to non-discrimination. Violations of fundamental rights could be brought before the Supreme Court, which had drawn reference to the Convention in some of its determinations. In one case, it had held that equality could be seriously impaired when women were subjected to workplace gender-based violence. The Women’s Commission was mandated to introduce mechanisms to give effect to Convention obligations.
There were several mechanisms in place facilitating access to justice. The Legal Commission of Sri Lanka provided free legal services to citizens who had incomes of less than 40,000 rupees. This threshold did not apply for cases of a domestic nature. The Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Commission were empowered to receive complaints related to human rights violations directly from victims, investigate the matter, and make recommendations. Financial assistance and counselling were provided to women victims of violence. The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act allowed for victims to make complaints directly to the police.
Sri Lanka had maintained a moratorium on the death penalty since 1978. The Supreme Court had intervened in the past to prevent the death penalty from being carried out. A recent amendment to the Penal Code increased the minimum age from which the death penalty could be applied from 16 to 18 years.
Many efforts had been made to implement the Committee’s previous concluding observations. The Government had established a coordinating committee to follow-up on the Committee’s concluding observations, in collaboration with civil society. In 2022, legislation on marriage and divorce was amended to remove all provisions permitting the marriage of a minor with parents’ permission. Legislation on inheritance had also been revised to remove its gender components.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, said that the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act was amended in 2022, but there were still concerns about elements of the law addressing abortion and rape. Were there plans to further amend the law? Was work underway to ensure that authorities could mainstream a gender perspective in measures promoting access to justice?
Another Committee Expert congratulated the Government on appointing a woman Prime Minister. Ms. de Silva’s contributions enriched the Committee. The national action plan on women, peace and security was a positive step in addressing the needs of women in conflict. However, challenges remained in this field. Were there plans to conduct a mid-term assessment of the plan? How would the Government ensure accountability for past conflict-related gender-based violence and ensure the rights of victims to protest and mourn publicly?
Non-governmental organizations faced financial and regulatory obstructions. How would the State party support women human rights defenders and remove restrictions on the activities of civil society?
One Committee Expert welcomed measures for increasing the political representation of women, but said the Committee was concerned by the low level of representation of women in public and private life. She commended the quota of 25 per cent representation for local government bodies, but said this was not in line with the Committee’s recommendation of 50 per cent representation. The Expert further commended an initiative to enhance the incomes of women in the agricultural sector. Had this initiative been successful? What affirmative actions had been implemented in other sectors?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government had conducted consultations regarding the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. It was trying to strike a balance between women’s and children’s rights and cultural rights, and was working to ensure that the law reflected the views of the people. There was constant training of police officers and the judiciary on the Convention. Persons who caused a woman to miscarry, except to save the life of the woman, were punished, but the Government was considering legal amendments in this regard.
Sri Lanka’s civil society had made important contributions to the protection of human rights. The window in which civil society could challenge bills had been extended from seven to 14 days. Freedom of expression, speech and assembly were protected in the Constitution. The Government was committed to protecting the freedom of expression of civil society. It had simplified administrative requirements for registering non-governmental organizations. Regulatory measures were needed to prevent non-governmental organizations from engaging in money laundering and financing of terrorism. Complaints could be made regarding infringements of the rights of human rights defenders to the Supreme Court, the National Police Commission, the Women’s Ombudsperson, and the Human Rights Commission, which had produced guidelines on the protection of human rights defenders.
Women were selected to leadership roles on public bodies on merit. Their representation was improving. Sri Lanka had had the world’s first woman Prime Minister. There was no quota for appointments to roles in the public sector, but over 50 per cent of prosecutors were women. The Government had conducted several awareness raising campaigns encouraging women’s participation in public life. Diploma programmes were developed to train women to participate in political roles, and a forum had been held to advocate for increased representation of women in trade unions. Leadership courses had been held for minority women. Women’s representation in local government had risen to 25 per cent in 2018, thanks to the quota enacted in 2017. The Government aimed to increase the representation of women in Parliament and provincial councils to 30 per cent.
The women, peace and security action plan addressed displacement, and women’s protection, security and participation in peacebuilding. A steering committee had been established to implement the plan and make policy recommendations. The State party was planning to conduct a review of the implementation of the action plan.
The Government was developing a truth and reconciliation process that had the people’s trust. The Office for Reparations had reviewed more than 6,000 complaints, tracing around 180 missing persons and helping over 4,000 families to access remedies. Investigation results were accessible to the public. The national reparations policy was tabled in Parliament in 2022. It included provisions for memorialisation. The Office provided livelihood support, land rights, housing, psychosocial support and measures to prevent violence. Payments had been provided for over 11,000 individuals across various categories. An independent body had also been established to conduct investigations into historic violations.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert congratulated Sri Lanka on having the first female Prime Minister in the world and on electing its third female Prime Minister. The State party needed to consider temporary special measures such as quotas to improve women’s representation in various fields. Would the State party increase its 25 per cent quota for Parliament and other bodies?
Another Committee Expert said gender stereotypes perpetuated inequalities in Sri Lanka. What actions had been taken by the State party to promote gender equality in school curricula and tackle gender stereotypes? What was the timeline for amending the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act to ban child marriage?
At least one in five women in Sri Lanka had experienced violence from an intimate partner, and many did not report it. Women who sought justice faced discriminatory treatment in the judicial system. What was the timeline for adopting proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act? How would the State party address barriers to women victims accessing justice? Were gender courts available in rural areas? What protections were provided to women victims of violence? Courts did not recognise marital rape and girls over age 16 were not protected from statutory rape. How would the State party ensure that all girls without exception were protected from rape?
One Committee Expert welcomed the national action plan to combat trafficking, the Witness Protection Act, and a fund to compensate victims of violence. Was the unit working to prevent trafficking a militarised unit? Most persons trafficked to the Middle East were female domestic workers. Traffickers recruited women and girls from rural areas and forced them to work in the commercial sex industry in urban areas. Law enforcement lacked proper training on identifying trafficking. What measures were in place to ensure the protection of victims who reported trafficking crimes? Were there efforts being made to reduce the evidence threshold for declaring trafficking crimes? How did the State party ensure that victims of trafficking were not criminalised? Did police officers receive training on trafficking and labour rights?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act had been amended and would come into force this year. The Assistance to Victims Act provided for the establishment of a national authority for the protection of victims and witnesses. It underlined the rights of victims to be treated with respect and privacy, and to request legal, medical and psychosocial assistance. Female victims could request investigating officers of a particular gender.
The police had implemented specialised protective units and a targeted programme that encouraged increased reporting of domestic violence and reduced death rates. A toll-free hotline operated by female officers was available for reporting domestic violence.
The National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce coordinated police actions to investigate trafficking in persons. The Taskforce included members of various Government departments; it was not a militarised entity. There was also an anti-trafficking desk within the Ministry of Defence. The Government operated a shelter for female victims of trafficking, which provided health, food and other support services. Awareness raising campaigns on the importance of reporting trafficking crimes were in place. Trafficking in persons was an offence in the Penal Code. Persons who committed or conspired to commit trafficking offences were liable for a penalty of between three to 15 years imprisonment.
Persons who committed rape were punished with imprisonment for no less than seven years, or no less than 15 years when the victim was under 16. A man who had a non-consensual sexual relationship with a woman who was formerly his wife was criminalised.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert asked whether marital rape had been criminalised, and if not, when it would be. Were there plans to provide specific services for victims of technologically-assisted gender-based violence and to provide training to stakeholders on this issue?
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked how awareness raising campaigns promoted the rights of women in vulnerable situations.
Another Committee Expert said that in 2023, 51 per cent of harmful speech online targeted women. Women’s rights groups and even the Prime Minister were targeted by online hate speech. How did legislation protect women and rights groups online? Some social media platforms had not removed harmful content due to high thresholds for removal. Did the State party plan to hold these platforms to account to protect women? Thirty-two per cent of Ambassadors were female, though women made up more than half of the foreign service. How would the State party support women to become Ambassadors? Many transgender women faced barriers in accessing residence certificates and the right to vote. How was the State party addressing these barriers?
Another Committee Expert said Sri Lankan women who married foreigners faced barriers in passing their nationality to their children. What measures were in place to ensure that women could transmit their nationality on par with their male counterparts? Tamil women, women in rural zones, and displaced women often lacked documentation to prove their nationality. Lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women faced discrimination from police and confronted obstacles in obtaining gender recognition papers. Children born to foreign parents did not obtain Sri Lankan nationality, raising issues of statelessness for plantation workers. How was the State addressing these issues?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said statutory rape was currently rape of persons aged up to 16 years. Marital rape was not currently criminalised. The Online Safety Act aimed to promote safety for women and girls online. The Cybercrime Investigation Unit was tasked with handling all cyber-related complaints, including those related to sexual and gender-based violence and online child exploitation. It acted swiftly to remove harmful online content, including from social media platforms. Women could submit complaints of online abuse through email and hotlines. The Act established an independent Online Safety Commission that could issue directives to internet service providers, requiring them to respond to discriminatory online acts. The Commission could also disable users, remove offending content, and seek internet intermediaries to disclose the identities of offenders.
Women played a significant role in diplomatic representation at all levels. They accounted for more than 50 per cent of diplomatic mission staff, so it was likely that women would account for more than 50 per cent of Ambassadors in future.
Freedom of expression was recognised in the Constitution, but this right was not without limitation. It could not be used to infringe on the rights of others. Hate speech against political candidates could be reported to the Elections Commission, as well as the Women’s Commission and the Human Rights Commission.
The conferment of citizenship was previously linked to fathers in legislation; however, this had been amended to allow for citizenship to be conferred by both parents. Citizenship could be provided to stateless children by the State. There was no legal impediment to persons obtaining birth certificates. Tamils of Indian origin would be recognised as Sri Lankan citizens. The Government was considering programmes to provide permanent residency to members of the Malayaga community, and the members of Parliament from this community could take up this issue in the legislature. There were measures to identify stateless children and register them. Mobile units were in place that supported birth registration for families living on plantations.
The family background report system had been criticised as being discriminatory, placing the burden of childcare on women. In 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers removed the mandatory family background report for women seeking work abroad and lowered the age limit for them. The Government was supporting access to caretakers for children aged two and above. It sought to support both women and men to seek work overseas without compromising their family’s welfare.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert asked whether the Online Services Act was effective. Had there been any prosecutions under it? What was the State party doing to implement local elections, which had not been held since 2018, and to support women’s participation in those elections?
A Committee Expert asked whether the period of free birth registration would be extended.
One Committee Expert said Sri Lanka had made achievements regarding girls’ education. Girls’ literacy rate was over 90 per cent, which was much higher than many other countries in the region. However, child marriages remained a challenge in rural communities and were a major reason for girls dropping out of schools. The COVID-19 pandemic also affected girls in rural areas, as they had limited opportunities to participate in online education. The computer literacy rate on plantations was less than half that of other regions.
Stereotypes hindered the access of Muslim women and girls to education. What measures had the State party taken to combat dropouts of girls in primary and secondary education? What measures were in place to promote gender mainstreaming in education? How did the State party ensure that girls of all religions could access education? What activities were carried out to prevent stereotypes in education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Online Safety Act was a new law. There had yet to be prosecutions under the law. The related Commission would soon be set up and would be able to investigate complaints.
Every citizen over the age of 18 who was qualified to be an elector could become one. Sri Lanka had established an independent Election Commission that could investigate complaints of violations and issue sanctions. The Supreme Court had upheld the right to vote and held that any impediment to such was a violation. The law on local government elections was being revised; once this had concluded, local elections could be held.
The education system was committed to ensuring equal access for all students, regardless of gender. The provision of free school meals and textbooks allowed for girls from poor families to pursue their education. The State party was committed to reducing the burden that education placed on parents. Education was compulsory until age 16. An initiative to provide girls with sanitary pads was implemented in 2024, benefitting 800,000 girls. Scholarships were provided to girls from low-income families to participate in technology studies. There had been an increase in the share of girls participating in science, technology, engineering and maths courses in university in recent years; the share was currently 37 per cent.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the State party for establishing sexual harassment committees and creating a labour complaints mechanism. Most women worked in the informal sector, where they lacked labour rights and were vulnerable to abuse. Many informal sector workers lacked access to social security, leave and childcare services. What measures were in place to protect the rights of women in the informal sector? Did the State party plan to establish mechanisms to allow domestic workers to seek redress in cases of abuse? Were there plans to extend paid maternity leave to at least 14 weeks and promote shared parental leave? Were there plans to ratify International Labour Organization Conventions 181, 189 and 190? The number of Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers had increased in recent years. These workers often faced abuse from their employers. How were these workers informed about their rights and protected from abuse?
Another Committee Expert commended Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening public health care. Persistent barriers obstructed women’s sexual and reproductive health rights. How would State policies address these barriers? Restrictive laws forced many women to resort to unsafe abortions. What steps had been taken to ensure women’s safe access to abortion? What measures were in place to prevent forced sterilisation and ensure informed consent? Girls faced challenges in accessing information on contraception, leading to high rates of early pregnancies. What measures were in place to reduce early pregnancies? Many schools in rural areas lacked proper sanitation facilities, forcing girls to miss school during menstrual periods. There was also a very high tax of 47 per cent on menstrual products. How was the State party supporting access to sanitation facilities and menstrual products for women and girls?
Female genital mutilation continued to be practiced in some Muslim communities. There was no law criminalising female genital mutilation in Sri Lanka. When would one be developed? What awareness raising campaigns on female genital mutilation were in place? Some women experienced obstetric violence during childbirth. Did the State party intend to implement measures to prevent such practices?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women spent more time than men in unpaid domestic work in Sri Lanka. The Government had taken steps to train care workers to improve the availability of childcare and disability care services for working mothers and reduce the burden of unpaid care work. Sri Lanka was interested in ratifying International Labour Organization Convention 190. The necessary amendments had been incorporated into legislation. The State had also implemented policies to promote women’s employment. The Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment was conducting consultations with stakeholders to strengthen protections of Sri Lankan domestic workers overseas. The Women’s Empowerment Act aimed to address the gender pay gap.
Taxes on sanitary products and baby formula had been removed. Budgetary allocations had been ensured for sexual and reproductive health services across the country. All students from sixth grade received sexual and reproductive health education, which addressed preventing unwanted pregnancies. Medical practitioners who practiced or promoted female genital mutilation were sanctioned. There were no specific offences on female genital mutilation or obstetric violence, but these acts were prohibited under general legislation on violence.
Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert commended the State party on working to ensure the empowerment of women and girls through the rural employment programme and programmes on digital transformation. What concrete actions were being taken to ensure that vulnerable women and girls were aware of the economic empowerment policies in place? How was the State party preventing the abuse of women by financial institutions and regulating lending practices? Had the State party assessed fiscal reforms and their impacts on the rights of women and girls? How was the State party mitigating the unfair financial burden of tax on women and girls? What measures were in place to increase the representation of women and girls in decision making related to economic empowerment? What measures were there to support female athletes to overcome structural barriers in sports?
Another Committee Expert said female tea plantation workers continued to have less access to Government subsidies and microcredit due to their lack of access to land ownership. How was this being addressed? Women with disabilities continued to face stigma and discrimination, and infrastructure was not adapted to persons with disabilities. How was the State party working to make inclusive education programmes more adapted to persons with disabilities? There were also persistent hate crimes against lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women. What measures were in place to prevent such hate crimes? Same sex sexual acts were criminalised; would they be decriminalised? What reforms had been made to ensure adequate facilities for women in prisons? Were women prisoners allowed to live with their young children in prisons?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government had implemented various welfare measures for persons in poverty. Around 1.7 million households benefited from welfare support. There were various Government programmes for empowering women-led households. The banking system had also provided special loan schemes with favourable interest rates and flexible return policies for women entrepreneurs during the financial crisis. Banks had offered advisory services and capacity building programmes for women entrepreneurs. The State had been regulating lending institutions. Support had been provided to 185 rural women affected by unregulated microcredit schemes. A socioeconomic protection scheme helped to ease loss of income due to unemployment.
Sri Lanka had undertaken various initiatives to empower women to engage in technology studies and the digital economy. The national strategy for women’s development promoted women’s digital freedom and security. Many women entrepreneurs had been trained on digital skills.
Sanitary facilities in prisons had been improved to ensure a comfortable stay for women, and facilities for children in prison with their mothers had also been improved. There were plans to establish a separate women’s prison aligned with international standards.
The police had been instructed on protecting the fundamental rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and investigating complaints from these persons. A bill had been lodged in Parliament on decriminalising same-sex relations. The Supreme Court had found that there was no barrier to the amendment of this legislation. The bill had yet to be considered due to the dissolution of Parliament.
Questions by Committee Experts
YAMILA GONZÁLEZ FERRER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Sri Lanka, asked whether the law on terrorism could be used to prevent the operation of women’s organizations.
Another Committee Expert welcomed the State party’s efforts to ensure women’s equal rights in law and family relations. Had measures been taken to amend the Penal Code to ensure that legislation on statutory rape protected all girls under age 16, including girls over age 12 who were married? The Committee expected that the State party would address legislation on polygamy. When would the State party revise the family law to allow women to have equal rights to men concerning custody of children? What was the status of legal amendments seeking to strengthen the rights of widows?
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that, while respecting the freedom of belief, the State party needed to work to protect the rights of Muslim women and girls.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the law on terrorism had not been used to limit the activities of women’s organizations in recent years. The law was only used in instances when it was necessary.
The amended Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act set the age of marriage at 18, but children from age 16 could be married with parental consent. The previous Cabinet of Ministers had approved the amended bill, and the new Government would consider whether to take this legislation forward. The Parliamentary Caucus had proposed the establishment of a committee to address the issue of child marriages.
Concluding Remarks
SAROJA SAVITRI PAULRAJ, Minister of Women and Child Affairs of Sri Lanka and head of the delegation, said Sri Lanka participated in the review in a spirit of openness. It appreciated the Committee’s recognition of the progress it had made and the challenges it faced. The Government had undertaken significant efforts to strengthen women’s empowerment. It was fully committed to addressing the issues that women faced in the State. Ms. Paulraj thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. The Government was committed to the promotion and protection of the human rights of all Sri Lankans and would continue to engage with the Committee constructively.
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that the State party had shared candidly and transparently the progress made and the difficulties it was facing. The dialogue had helped the Committee to better understand the situation of women and girls in Sri Lanka. It commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the State party.
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CEDAW25.009E