Sri Lanka: New counterterrorism bill risks perpetuating past abuses

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Amnesty International said in a new legal analysis that the Sri Lankan government’s proposed new counterterrorism legislation allows wide scope for abuse and poses serious threats to human rights. Despite some improvements on the previous white paper, the Protection of the State from Terrorism bill, which will replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), retains an overly broad and ambiguous definition of terrorism that leaves room for arbitrary interpretation and the potential criminalization of dissent and civil society. The bill, tabled on 6 October, is before the Supreme Court to check its compatibility with the Constitution. Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director, stated that Sri Lanka’s history of abusing such legislation makes robust safeguards essential, which remain inadequately addressed. The bill permits detention for up to one year without charge alongside up to one year of pretrial detention. Amnesty International urged Sri Lanka’s parliament to withdraw the bill and reform the law in line with international human rights standards.