The Minister of Justice has given directives to revoke the special gazette notification on the Bill to prohibit any form of obscene publications. The decision was taken after taking into account the concerns raised by various parties including civil society organizations, Secretary to the Justice Ministry M.M.P.K Mayadunne said. In a statement, he noted that the Justice Ministry brought forth the relevant Bill with the aim of ensuring the welfare of minors and the privacy of women who are subject to harassment. However, the civil society groups have pointed out that the Bill in question, published on December 24, could hamper the publication rights of creative artists. Accordingly, Justice Minister Ali Sabry, ordering the nullification of the gazette notification, has called for resubmission of an amended Bill to the Cabinet of Ministers after obtaining the suggestions of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and civil society groups.

Source: The Nation December 29, 2021 23:07 UTC