Sri Lanka has denied refusing visas to a delegation from an international human rights group for attending the Commonwealth summit in Colombo, claiming that its permission was not sought for the overseas visitors.
External Affairs Ministry said that the country's Bar Association, which invited the delegation, had not followed the necessary procedure of securing the ministry's agreement for a conference involving international participants, the Gulf News reports.
The government is to host the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting next week, the report added.
The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) had accused the Sri Lankan government of denying entry to its delegation, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers.
