Amnesty International has called on Sri Lanka to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) without delay, stating that the legislation continues to enable arbitrary detention, torture and other human rights abuses, despite the current administration’s stated commitment to scrap the law.
SouthAsians & Diaspora
In a statement, the rights organisation said recent cases had underscored persistent concerns about how the PTA is being applied.
It pointed in particular to the arrest of 24-year-old Tamil hip-hop artiste Sangeethan Ganeshkumar, detained on 2 June and remanded until 17 June over a performance that authorities claim glorified the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Amnesty rejected the legal basis for his detention, arguing that the PTA’s broad and vaguely defined offences do not meet international law standards, and called for his immediate release unless he is promptly charged with an internationally recognisable offence in proceedings consistent with fair trial guarantees.
The organisation also raised serious concerns over the case of former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General (Retired) Suresh Salley, arrested on 25 February in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings of April 2019.
Sallay’s family and lawyers have publicly alleged inhumane treatment in custody and raised questions over due process.
Amnesty acknowledged the gravity of the Easter Sunday attacks and the obligation of Sri Lankan authorities to deliver truth, justice and reparations to victims, but insisted that any prosecution must adhere strictly to fair trial rights.
The organisation highlighted that the PTA has also been invoked in drug-related matters, raising further questions about the scope of its application.
Amnesty warned that as currently framed, the legislation facilitates conditions conducive to torture and ill-treatment through the absence of adequate safeguards.
Accordingly, Amnesty International called on the Sri Lankan authorities to:
• Promptly investigate all allegations concerning the abuse and misuse of the PTA
• Investigate allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and ensure full due process guarantees for all detainees held under the PTA, including Suresh Salley
• Impose an immediate moratorium on the use of the PTA
• Repeal the PTA without delay.
( Source-the Leader)
