The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has raised concerns about the government’s approach to adopting the Official Secret Act to declare high-security zones in the country.
Issuing a statement, the HRCSL said that the government’s use of the Official Secret Act grossly violates the fundamental rights of the people of this country.
The Commission further said the notion that the high-security zones be declared under the Official Secret Act is a fallacy without any justification or basis and it cannot be adopted to make such a declaration.
The HRCSL further advises the government to direct the withdrawal of the Gazette bearing No.2298/53 dated 23rd September.
It also calls on the government to take measures to ensure that national laws follow the accepted international and national human rights norms and standards, and to preclude declarations that violate those norms and standards.
