Rights group says Sri Lanka harassed, intimidated protesters

Protesters shout against president Ranil Wickremesinghe's government in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Anti-government protesters shout slogans against electing Ranil w'ickremesinghe as president at the ongoing protest site in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A protester stands by a banner carrying anti- government slogans at the ongoing protest site in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president Ranil Wickremesinghe says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Protesters shout against president Ranil Wickremesinghe's government at the ongoing protest site in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Protesters shout against president Ranil Wickremesinghe's government in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Protesters stand by their tents at the ongoing protest site in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Sri Lanka's new president Ranil Wickremesinghe says his government is preparing a national policy roadmap for the next 25 years that aims to cut public debt and turn the country into a competitive export economy as it seeks a way out of its worst economic disaster.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

In this handout photo provided by then Sri Lankan President's Office, President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivers his policy speech to lawmakers during the opening of the new parliamentary session in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. (Sri Lankan President's Office via AP)

A woman reacts to a police announcement aired using loudspeakers ordering protesters to vacate the site of months long anti government protests outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sri Lanka's Parliament approved a state of emergency July 27. The decree gives the president the power to make regulations in the interest of public security and order. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Protesters react to a police announcement aired using loudspeakers ordering protesters to vacate the site of months long anti government protests outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sri Lanka's Parliament approved a state of emergency July 27. The decree gives the president the power to make regulations in the interest of public security and order. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A woman reacts to a police announcement aired using loudspeakers ordering protesters to vacate the site of months long anti government protests outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sri Lanka's Parliament approved a state of emergency July 27. The decree gives the president the power to make regulations in the interest of public security and order. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A group of protesters dismantle their tents as they prepare to vacate the site of months long anti government protest site outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A protestor reacts to a police announcement aired using loudspeakers ordering protesters to vacate the site of months long anti government protests outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Sri Lanka's Parliament approved a state of emergency July 27. The decree gives the president the power to make regulations in the interest of public security and order. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — An international human rights group says Sri Lanka's government is using emergency laws to harass and arbitrarily detain protesters who are seeking political reform and accountability amid the island country's economic crisis.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday that Sri Lanka's military sought to curtail protests through intimidation, surveillance, and arbitrary arrests of demonstrators, activists, lawyers and journalists since President Ranil Wickremesinghe took office last month.

Sri Lanka's Parliament approved a state of emergency July 27. The decree gives the president the power to make regulations in the interest of public security and order.

Wickremesinghe, who had ordered arrests of protesters, has said that although the protests started peacefully, groups with political interests took over later and became violent, citing the burning of dozens of ruling party politicians' homes in May.

Sri Lankans had been protesting for months over the country's economic crisis that has led to a severe shortage of many essential imported items like medicines, fuel and cooking gas. Wickremesinghe's predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country after protesters stormed his official residence and occupied many key state buildings including the president's office and prime minister's office and official residence. Wickremesinghe was elected by Parliament to complete Rajapaksa's term, which ends in 2024.

In a speech Wednesday to Parliament, Wickremesinghe promised leniency for those who took to violence unknowingly or at the instigation of others. He also promised to punish those who broke laws willfully.

Some of those arrested are accused of clashing with security forces and encouraging people to break into Parliament. Officials have also seized the passport of a British woman who posted about the protests on social media.

“The Sri Lankan government’s crackdown on peaceful dissent appears to be a misguided and unlawful attempt to divert attention from the need to address the country’s urgent economic crisis,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch's South Asia director.

Sri Lanka is bankrupt, having announced that it is suspending repayment of its foreign loans pending the outcome of talks with the International Monetary Fund for a rescue package.

“Sri Lanka’s international partners should be clear that they need to be working with a rights-respecting administration to address Sri Lanka’s deeply rooted economic problems," Ganguly said.