HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2019 Status accredited Human Rights Commission. The Chairperson also made a presentation at a panel discussion organized by the South Korean Human Rights Commission on equality and non-discrimination in conjunction with the APF AGM. 6.3. Appointment of HRCSL as the National Preventive Mechanism under OPCAT Pursuant to Sri Lanka acceding to the Optional Protocol to the International Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) in December, 2017, HRCSL was nominated by the Government of Sri Lanka to be the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). Under the OPCAT the State is obligated to set up one or more national preventive mechanisms to attempt to prevent torture and other forms of custodial abuse through preventive visits. HRCSL is already mandated and empowered to visit places of detention without prior permission under its parent statute. The Commission received the members of the United Nations Sub Committee on Prevention of Torture in April 2019 to discuss HRCSL’s role as the National Preventive Mechanism in Sri Lanka and methodologies to be used in preventive work. The Sub-Committee once again assured technical cooperation to HRCSL in conducting NPM related activities. 6.4. Other collaborations with international organizations and experts 6.4.1 Bi-lateral meetings: HRCSL broadened its international collaborations through bi-lateral meetings with multiple entities: ▪ The Commission participated in several meetings and engagements with different UN organizations in Sri Lanka such as: 93