The United States has imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on two Sri Lankans, former CEO of SriLankan Airlines Kapila Chandrasena and former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, and their immediate family members.
The move is part of the United States’ ongoing efforts to hold corruption perpetrators accountable.
Announcing the actions ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day, the US State Department underscored its commitment to promoting accountability for corruption and human rights violations around the world.
Accordingly, Chandrasena is accused of accepting bribes to ensure the purchase of Airbus aircraft at exorbitant prices by SriLankan Airlines, and Weeratunga is accused of leading a corrupt scheme involving the purchase of MiG aircraft for the Sri Lankan Air Force. These individuals are designated under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State Appropriations Act, making them ineligible to enter the United States.
“Annually, the State Department designates 14 individuals, including immediate family members, as being involved in significant corruption pursuant to Section 7031(c) and one official involved in a serious human rights violation. The applicable program appropriations act (“Section 7031(c)”) makes them ineligible to enter the United States. “The State Department is taking further steps to impose visa restrictions on dozens of individuals pursuant to multiple policies under section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act,” the State Department said.
