HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2020  Guidelines on regularising quarantine processes The HRCSL issued guidelines to the Minister of Health and the Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID 19 Outbreak on regularizing the quarantine process. The Commission reiterated that it recognises the need to restrict freedom of movement and liberty of people in the interests of public health and public order during an extraordinary health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Commission observed that it has received a variety of complaints relating to the process of quarantine which a large number of persons were subject to in view of the resurgence of the fear of spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines included transparency in the process of delegation of powers by the “Proper Authority”; listing the places designated as quarantine centres and the designating authority; creating a receipt system for quarantined persons including the reason for quarantine, the place they are being taken to and the length of isolation; external scrutiny of quarantine centres; and prohibiting those handling quarantine from informing the media of the proposed quarantining efforts, exposing those being quarantined to public gaze as though they were offenders rather than unfortunate victims of a virulent virus. The Commission is also recommended that the hardships imposed by the quarantining process can be ameliorated by measures such as ensuring quarantined period is considered paid/ duty leave; ensuring financial or any other assistance to families of those in quarantine; and in the event vulnerable dependents in the families are left behind due to quarantine process, the Grama Niladhari to ensure provision of all necessary support to vulnerable persons including alerting the proper authorities.  Repatriation of Sri Lankan Migrants stranded overseas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in fulfilment of Sri Lanka’s human rights obligations Pursuant to numerous complaints received from Sri Lankan migrants and their families who are stranded overseas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Commission requested His Excellency the President by letter dated 26 November 2020 to intervene in the matter. The letter pointed out that these complainants have paid the airfare, subjected themselves to necessary PCR tests, but are still stranded overseas without even basic 32