“`html
(Bangkok) – The Sri Lanka government’s proposed counterterrorism legislation includes numerous provisions similar too the current abusive law and risks facilitating the same kind of repression, Human Rights Watch said today. The bill does not meet benchmarks set out by the United Nations counterterrorism expert or comply with human rights obligations and commitments that Sri Lanka made to the European Union to benefit from trade arrangements under the Generalized System of Preferences, or GSP+.
The Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA), published by the Ministry of Justice in december 2025, would replace the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has facilitated extensive violations including arbitrary detention and torture as it was introduced in 1979. In 2017, Sri Lanka committed to replace the PTA with human rights-respecting legislation as a condition for the EU to reinstate GSP+, but successive Sri Lankan governments have failed to comply. In his party’s 2024 election manifesto, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake campaigned for the “[a]bolition of all oppressive acts including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and ensuring civil rights of people in all parts of the country.” The proposed law falls short of meeting that pledge.
“Ridding sri lanka of its abusive Prevention of Terrorism Act is long overdue, but this proposed law includes numerous provisions that would allow the authorities to commit the same abuses,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.”the government should impose an immediate moratorium on the existing law,and prepare rights-respecting legislation through inclusive public consultations.”
Besides provisions similar to the PTA, the draft law includes measures that previous governments proposed in 2018 and 2023 that were dropped following criticism of their rights implications. The Dissanayake government called for public input from experts and civil society, but did not incorporate their previous recommendations.
Sri Lanka has a long history of using counterterrorism legislation to commit rights violations especially against Tamils, Muslims, and perceived government opponents, including human rights defenders. Those abuses have continued under the current government. in separate 2025 cases, the authorities detained for months two young Muslim men who had criticized Israel, under the PTA before releasing them without charge. The government informed the UN that 49 arrests were made under the PTA in the first five months of 2025, compared with 38 in all of 2024. In many instances, the law was used to combat
International pressure is mounting on Sri Lankan President Ranil wickremesinghe to fully repeal the Prevention of Terrorism act (PTA) and avoid enacting a replacement law that retains its problematic provisions. Concerns center on potential human rights abuses and the continued suppression of dissent.
Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)
Table of Contents
Ranil Wickremesinghe, the current President of Sri Lanka, inherited a commitment to abolish the PTA, a law widely criticized for enabling arbitrary detention and abuses. He assumed the presidency on July 20,2022,following the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.Presidential Secretariat
The PTA, originally enacted in 1979, has been used to detain individuals for extended periods without charge, frequently enough based on confessions obtained under duress. Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of torture and ill-treatment of PTA detainees.
In February 2023, Wickremesinghe pledged to repeal the PTA, but subsequent proposals for a new “National Security Act” have raised concerns that it would merely rebrand the PTA with similar repressive powers. Human Rights Watch
The History and Criticism of the PTA
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was first introduced in 1979 during a period of heightened ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka. International Commission of Jurists
Critics argue the PTA violates essential rights guaranteed by the Sri Lankan constitution and international human rights law, including the right to due process, the right to a fair trial, and the prohibition of torture. The law allows for detention without charge for up to 18 months,and confessions made to police are admissible in court,despite concerns about coercion.
Such as,in 2015,the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism called for the repeal of the PTA,citing its broad and vague provisions that could be used to suppress legitimate dissent. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Concerns Regarding the Proposed National Security Act
The proposed National Security Act, intended to replace the PTA, has been met with skepticism from human rights groups and international observers.
The key concern is that the new legislation retains many of the PTA’s problematic provisions, including broad definitions of terrorism, lengthy detention periods without charge, and limited judicial oversight. Amnesty International reports that the draft legislation fails to address fundamental flaws in the existing legal framework.
In October 2023,Amnesty International stated that the proposed law “would allow for the continuation of abuses under the guise of national security.”
International Response and calls for Reform
Several international partners, including the United States and the European union, have repeatedly urged Sri Lanka to repeal the PTA and enact legislation that fully respects human rights.
The United States has expressed concern over the continued
