Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Justice has announced a committee to consider the repealing and replacing of the country’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) however the continued use of the legislation raises concerns over the Government’s commitment.
The committee, led by President’s counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne, held a preliminary discussion on 11 April and is set to begin public consultations with civil society and international institutions and NGOs in May.
Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister, Harshana Nanayakkara, claimed that the Government would fulfil its manifesto commitment to repeal the PTA and ensure that its proposed replacement would be capable of tackling national security threats without impinging on the right of individuals to free speech. He further lambasted the prior administration for its failure to undertake these reforms.
Sri Lanka’s PTA was initially introduced 1979 and was intended as a temporary measure however subsequent administrations continued to utilise the act and it has remained in the books for over four decades. The act has been criticised for deliberately targetting Tamils and Muslims and has facilitated arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture and the intimidation of journalists, human rights activists and political representatives.
Past administrations have similarly claimed that they would repeal the act only to backtrack later or propose equally repressive measures. In 2021, the government introduced the Counter-Terrorism Bill, which was widely condemned as even worse than the PTA, leading to its eventual withdrawal.
The Jaatha Vikmukthi Peremauna (JVP), the party of Sri Lanka’s president, has called for the repeal of the act which was used historically to arrest its leaders during the 1980s. However, since coming into office, Dissanayake has faced criticism for its continued use. Recent cases include the arrest of a 20-year old Muslim man for pasting a Gaza solidarity sticker in a mall; a 37-year old Tamil father for circulating a photograph of Velupillai Prabharakan following Maaveerar Naal; and, a British Tamil attending the funeral of his mother.
In speaking to a crowd of Muslim’s about the use of the PTA, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister complained that activists did not raise concern when the legislation was initially introduced but were only raising alarm now. Whilst she claimed the Government is committed to replacing the legislation, its continued use raises doubts over their sincerity.
Ridiculing protests over the arrest of Mohamed Rushdy as 'making a big issue because they can't find fault with us,' Sri Lanka PM @Dr_HariniA adressing a largely Muslim gathering in Mannar says the government has appointed a committee to look into removing the PTA. pic.twitter.com/jtcggCV6sD
— LankaFiles (@lankafiles) April 15, 2025
