Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapksa says he has applied to have his US citizenship cancelled.

Speaking to Ada Derana in response to conflicting reports regarding the forthcoming elections, the former president’s brother said he will not contest the polls in August, but that this decision was unrelated to the issue of his dual citizenship.

“This has nothing to do with my citizenship issue,” he said, adding that he has already taken measures to cancel his dual citizenship. “I’ve already handed over the relevant documents to the US embassy, in this regard.”

There have been repeated demands that the former defence secretary is prosecuted by US authorities, as he is a citizen of the country.

In March Mr Rajapaksa said that if he was to move to the USA, he would be prosecuted and sentenced to death by electric chair.

“I cannot lead a luxury life in America,” said Mr Rajapaksa. “There, I will have to sit in the electric chair for conducting the war”.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier this year attacked the former government for allowing a US citizen to be in charge of national security, questioning Mr Rajapaksa’s allegiance to Sri Lanka.

‘If I visit US, I will have to sit in the electric chair’ says Gotabhaya (21 March 2015)

'Only one way to shield Gotabhaya from war crimes prosecution' - Ryan Goodman (28 Jan 2015)

Ranil states Gotabhaya has ‘renounced any allegiance to Sri Lanka’ (13 June 2015)

‘Legal Avenues to Prosecute a US Citizen for War Crimes—The Case of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’ (02 Aug 2014)

US should push prosecution of individuals in Sri Lanka - Congressional Caucus hears (18 July 2014)

Sri Lanka’s Greatest War Criminal (Gotabaya) is a US Citizen: It’s Time to Hold Him Accountable (21 May 2014)

Killing spree after Gotabaya’s orders: Army eyewitness accounts
(27 July 2011)