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Civil society urges the government to repeal the PTA without replacing it with a new antiterror law

2025-06-01

A coalition of civil society groups and concerned individuals has urged the Ministry of Justice and National Integration to immediately repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act PTA and abandon plans to introduce a new antiterror law, in a public statement released on 29 May 2025.

The statement was issued in response to a notice published in the Lankadeepa newspaper on 16 May 2025, which invited public submissions on the repeal of the PTA and proposed new legislation, allowing only a narrow twoweek consultation period. The signatories strongly criticized this limited timeframe and raised serious concerns over the composition of the appointed committee, which they say lacks legitimacy due to its dominance by state and military officials, and its failure to include representation from affected communities, victims families, or civil society actors.

The signatories accuse the current governmentled by the National People's Power NPPof reneging on a core election promise to fully abolish the PTA. They warn that the proposed new law could retain the same oppressive powers that have historically enabled arbitrary arrests, torture, and the suppression of dissent, particularly against Tamil and Muslim communities, as well as southern youth and political dissidents.

The statement emphasizes that Sri Lanka already possesses a wide array of existing laws capable of addressing terrorismrelated crimes under the regular criminal justice system. It also underscores that international bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, have repeatedly called for the PTAs repeal.

The group issued five key demands: the immediate repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 49 of 1979 PTA without delay or diversion through a new committee, alongside a moratorium on its use until the repeal is completed a clear rejection of any new antiterror legislation, arguing that at least 15 existing lawsincluding Penal Code provisionsare sufficient to address terrorismrelated offences the protection of democratic freedoms, emphasizing that no law should empower the police or executive to restrict fundamental rights such as freedom of movement, assembly, protest, or political expression the urgent need to ensure justice for all those detained under the PTA by expediting legal and political remedies such as presidential pardons, withdrawal of unsupported charges, and release of those not yet charged and finally, the provision of reparations for those detained under the PTA and not convicted, including formal apologies, financial compensation, access to physical and mental healthcare, and livelihood support, with additional reparations for families of individuals who died in custody.

The signatories concluded by urging the government to honor the sovereignty of the people, break away from a legacy of state violence, and build a new political culture rooted in human rights, accountability, and dignity for all.