Dec 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka has declared a week beginning today as a Human Rights Week to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Cabinet of ministers has approved a memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to declare the period December 4-10, 2008 as the Human Rights Week.

A host of programmes on the subject of human rights including awareness-creation seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and drama and debate competitions have been organized during the week, the government announced.

Sri Lanka has recently come under strong criticism from international human right organizations for lack of press freedom, abductions and extrajudicial killings.