HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2019 training and necessary equipment such as tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and water cannons in a manner that is easily accessible to provincial police stations; instructing the officers-in-charge of police stations of the need to strictly enforce Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act No.56 of 2007 (ICCPR Act) in relation to those who are inciting communal violence; and ensuring that no undue political or other external interventions are tolerated, and that strict legal action be taken against those who obstructs police officers from performing their duties. ▪ Recommendation to withdraw the circular entitled 'Ensuring Security in the office premises of the Government’ The Commission recommended that the Public Administration Ministry withdraw the above circular immediately. The Commission found the said circular which imposes a certain dress code on employees at government institutions to be a violation of Article 12 (1), Article 12 (2) and Article 14 (1) of the Constitution and Section 6 (1) of ICCPR Act No. 56 of 2007. ▪ Guidelines on Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act No.56 of 2007 The Commission issues guidelines on the application of the hate speech law (S.3 of ICCPR) on 29.08.2019. The Commission considers Section 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act No.56 of 2007 as a significant legal framework to address hate-crimes. As there is no authoritative Sri Lankan jurisprudence on section 3 of the lCCPR Act, the Commission drew from the discourse surrounding Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and political Rights i.e. the original Article to which Section 3 of the ICCPR Act gives domestic effect, in order to understand its scope and application. After an analysis of the scope and application of the law, the Commission issued the guidelines on the application of the hate speech law. The Commission has forwarded the guidelines to the Hon. Attorney General and the Inspector General of 36