Thousands of opposition activists took to the streets Tuesday to call for the release of a former cabinet minister jailed after he criticised the judiciary. The main opposition United National Party (UNP) of former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe called for the release of member of parliament S.B. Dissanayake while denouncing Chief Justice Sarath Silva and the government.
"This is not only a campaign to free S.B. Dissanayake but the start of a move to free the entire country from this government," Wickremesinghe said at the rally.
Dissanayake, a UNP legislator, was escorted to prison earlier this month after Silva read out a Supreme Court verdict convicting him of contempt and sentenced him to two years in jail.
Traffic was held up on many roads in the city as marchers made their way to Hyde Park shouting anti-government slogans. Police cordoned off streets leading to the main jail where Dissanayake was taken.
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