HSZ Gazette revoked

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued a Gazette revoking the highly controversial declaration of High Security Zones in the Colombo City and its suburbs.President Wickemesinghe issued the Gazette on 23 Sept., on the advice of the Public Security Ministry. The President rescinded the disputed Gazette immediately after he returned to the country after having visited Japan and the Philippines.

The Opposition and a large section of the civil society opposed the HSZs while the Human Rights Council of Sri Lanka and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka condemned the move. They emphasized HSZs couldn’t be declared in terms of the Official Secrets Act. (SF)