The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) reiterated today that peaceful rallies and dissent should not be controlled by the use of the military and police.
The Bar Association has condemned the removal of a group of protesters from the ramparts of the Galle Fort on Wednesday (29) in a letter to the Army Commander and Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Protesters carried banners and placards with anti-government slogans and urged the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Then, Police and Army took measures to remove the protesters from the site.
In the letter the BASL stated that the ramparts of the Galle Fort are public spaces, and thus there is no legal reason to disperse protesters.
“The suppression of the people’s right to protest and dissent is not the solution to the country’s current situation, in which the people are facing unimaginable hardships due to fuel and other essential shortages. We reiterate that police and armed forces should not be used to suppress peaceful protests and dissent,” the BASL said.
The BASL also condemned the involvement of Army personnel in removing the protesters stating that such involvement by Army personnel is not in accordance with the law.
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