Explain reasons for declaring Emergency - BASL tells President

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) calls upon the President to explain to the people the reasons as to why he has declared a State of Emergency.

 Issuing a statement, the BASL has called upon the President to revoke the proclamation declaring a state of emergency.

"We re-iterate that the state of emergency must not be used to stifle peaceful protests and dissent or to make arbitrary arrests and detentions. The protests in turn, must not be violent and must remain peaceful at all times," the statement notes.

The BASL also calls upon the people of the country to remain calm and to act in a peaceful manner so that their fundamental rights which form part of their intangible heritage remain protected.