A signature campaign was launched in Kilinochchi yesterday, demanding the Sri Lankan government to repeal the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). 

Tamil National Alliance MP S Shritharan and Karachchi Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Velamalikithan were amongst those who signed the petition to repeal the legislation which has been used disproportionately against Tamils for decades and has been linked to torture on the island.

The legislation currently allows for unlawful detention practices where individuals can be detained for 18 months without charge, though some have been detained for decades. Although the legislation has been widely criticised by Tamil civil society as well as domestic and international human rights organisations, Sri Lanka has failed to repeal the PTA.

Last month, the Sri Lankan government announced a series of proposed reforms to the PTA ahead of the UN Human Rights Council session which is set to take place at the end of February. Responding to the proposed reforms, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called the reforms "woefully inadequate and overlook the most egregious provisions of the legislation."

“The Government of Sri Lanka is once again scrambling to do its bare minimum ahead of another UN Human Rights Council session, in an attempt to deflect focus away from its failing human rights record,” said Ian Seiderman, ICJ’s Legal and Policy Director. 

"The fatally flawed PTA cannot be cured by these disingenuous reform attempts, but must be entirely repealed," he added. 

In June last year, the EU passed a damning resolution which called on Sri Lanka to repeal its “abusive and draconian” PTA and to immediately suspend the “deradicalisation” regulation. Repealing the PTA was a key element under the favourable trading preferences granted by the GSP+ agreement. Although Sri Lanka has failed to repeal the bill, the EU reinstated these favourable trading agreements with Sri Lanka in 2017.