The United States voiced concern Friday over moves to impeach Sri Lanka’s top judge, and called on the government to protect the independence of the country’s judiciary.

The United People’s Freedom Alliance on Thursday handed over the impeachment motion, with the signatures of 117 MPs, against the Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, accused of flouting the constitution.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington was also worried about “recent threats to Sri Lankan judicial officials, including the assault last month on a judge who had publicly criticized government pressure on members of the judiciary.

“We urge the government of Sri Lanka to avoid any action that would impede the efficacy and independence of Sri Lanka’s judiciary,” she was quoted as saying by AFP.

The US had also raised its concern regarding matter at the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka on Thursday in Geneva.

Delivering a statement the US called on the government to strengthen judicial independence by “ending government interference with the judicial process, protecting members of the judiciary from attacks, and restoring a fair, independent, and transparent mechanism to oversee judicial appointments.”

Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Friday accused Sri Lanka’s government of trying to undermine the court system.

“Given recent attacks on the judiciary and the general climate of intolerance of dissent, we are concerned that the move to impeach may be politically motivated,” Amnesty spokesman Olof Blomqvist said.

“The crackdown on dissent has extended to lawyers and members of the judiciary who speak out against abuses of power,” it said in a statement.

Source: Adaderana (Sri Lanka)