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President revokes HSZ gazette

02 Oct 2022

The controversial gazette issued declaring High Security Zones (HSZs) in Colombo under the Official Secrets Act was withdrawn with effect from yesterday (1). A senior Government minister told The Sunday Morning that the President had directed the Attorney General and relevant officials to make the necessary arrangements to withdraw the gazette notification. The gazette was issued under President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name on 23 September, a few days prior to the President’s departure on a five-day official tour to Japan and the Philippines. The legal fraternity, including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), expressed concerns over the gazette notification, while also pointing to the fact that the declaration of HSZs could not be done under the Official Secrets Act as it was done on 23 September.  Several petitions challenging the HSZs gazette notification have been filed before court calling for its nullification.  It is learnt that the President had agreed to the gazette notification on HSZs in the first place following reports of attempts by individuals to organise mass protests once again to surround several key State institutions.     


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