The Bar Association of Jaffna has issued a firm rebuke of Sri Lanka’s notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), calling not only for its immediate repeal but also rejecting any efforts to repackage repressive legislation under a different guise.
This decision comes in response to a public call for comments issued by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Justice, following the government's announcement of plans to repeal the PTA and introduce new legislation in its place. Meeting on May 20, the Jaffna Bar Association categorically rejected these proposals, insisting that no replacement law is necessary. It emphasised that Sri Lanka’s existing Criminal Procedure Code already contains sufficient provisions to address criminal matters and protect public safety, rendering any new counter-terrorism law not only redundant but a deliberate attempt to continue legalised repression.
The PTA was originally enacted as a temporary measure in 1979 and later made permanent. Over the years, it has faced widespread criticism from local and international human rights organisations for enabling prolonged detentions without trial, the use of torture, and the suppression of dissent.
The PTA allows for detention without charge for up to 90 days, renewable for up to 18 months, often without meaningful judicial oversight. In practice, the PTA has been disproportionately weaponised against Tamils and Muslims, particularly during and after the armed conflict, and continues to be used to silence political activists, journalists, and students in the North-East.
Despite repeated assurances to the international community about reform, successive governments have failed to take meaningful action. Critics warn that the latest initiative by the Ministry of Justice amounts to little more than a cosmetic change designed to appease international pressure while preserving the state’s powers of coercion.
The Bar’s resolution adds to incessant calls from across the Tamil homeland for not only the repeal of the PTA, but a dismantling of the broader structures of militarisation, surveillance, and impunity.
