The Colombo High Court today acquitted and released former Western Province Governor Azath Salley over the alleged controversial comments he had made at a media briefing in March.
Salley was arrested in March 2021 for a controversial statement he had made during a media briefing pertaining to the 2019 Easter attacks.
He was detained by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Salley’s comments during the media briefing on the Shari’a law were seen as undermining the brotherhood and reconciliation between communities.
Commenting on Salley’s arrest at the time, Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara told reporters that Salley was arrested over suspected links to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Minister Weerasekara also stated that Salley’s recent statements about the Shari’a law and the State’s law could incite extremism and could lead to terrorism.
Former Western Province Governor Azath Salley remained remanded in connection to the case until his release today. (NewsWire)