The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will conduct an official visit to Sri Lanka from 4^th to 15^th December 2017 said the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The experts will make their preliminary observations at a press conference on 15 December 2017 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).

The UN Working group comprises five independent experts Mr Jose Antonia Guevara Bermudez, Ms Leigh Toomey, Mr Setondji Roland Adjovi, and Mr Seong-Phil Hong.

British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said he reiterated the need for a credible accountability process  with international judges and prosecutors during his recent visit to Sri Lanka. 

Responding to a question tabled by MP for Ilford North Wes Streeting, Mr Field said, 

Human Rights Watch called on Sri Lanka to move from promises to action, criticising the government's refrain that it was "making haste slowly". 

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) this month highlighted the widespread denial by the Sri Lankan government of the ongoing torture and rape of Tamils committed by Sri Lankan security forces. 

In an interview with Ceylon Today following a report published by Associated Press highlighting the ongoing crimes committed under the present government, ITJP said,

Postage stamps marking Tamil National Remembrance Day (Maaveerar Naal) were released in the UK on November 27. 

The stamps, depicting symbols of Tamil Eelam, including the national flower, bird, tree and animal, were launched at the Maaveerar Naal commemorative event in London. 

Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal on Wednesday issued a stay order preventing any action being taken against the former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). 

The order prevents any action under the Public Property Act until December 6. 

Mr Rajapaksa had filed a writ petition seeking an interim order to stop police arresting him after reports last week that he was to be arrested over the misappropriation of public funds. 

According to the FCID Mr Rajapaksa was intending to use the funds to build a museum dedicated to his parent, D A Rajapaksa. 

Updated 11:50 GMT

Tamils in Toronto gathered to commemorate Maaveerar Naal, the Tamil National Remembrance Day at several events in Canada's largest city throughout the week.

The main event at Markham Fairgrounds saw thousands of people stream through the venue all day. The event was held at three separate times on the day, in order to allow as many people as possible to pay their respects.

Tamils in the Washington DC metropolitan area got together on Sunday to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

Maaveerar Naal commemorations were held in cities across Europe on Monday.