The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on the election campaign trail, ridiculed protests against the use of terror laws to imprison a Muslim youth PTA for 90 days as a ‘Big Topic,” while announcing that a committee has been appointed to ‘repeal’ the PTA Act.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who signed a PTA terror order in Colombo on 25th March to detain Mohamad Liyaudeen Mohamad Rushdy for 90 days on charges of being involved in an extremist or terrorist organization, had stated in the eastern town of Sammanthurai on 11th April that the said young man was not involved in any terrorist organization.
Addressing a public rally attended by a majority of Muslims near the Silawathura bus terminal in the Musali electoral district of Mannar on 12th April, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated that action for the repeal of the Terrorism Act would be taken in the future.
The Prime Minister’s Media Division has announced that the Prime Minister said that in the future, the people will not be allowed to suffer in any way based on religion or race, and that as a government, they will never view crises with a racist mindset.
The Prime Minister’s argument was that the government is being criticized for using PTA to imprison a young man who posted a sticker on a trash bin condemning Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, just because critics can’t find fault with the government.
A statement issued by the Media Unit of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration says that a preliminary discussion led by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Attorney-at-Law, Harshana Nanayakkara aimed at the repealing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act was held at the Ministry of Justice on the 11th.
It further states that President’s Counsel Rienzis Arsecularatne has been appointed as the Chairman of the committee to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The Minister has emphasized that the new bill should be able to confront global terrorism and challenges, and that it should not violate the internationally recognized human rights and freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
“The Minister also informed the committee officers that the committee appointed for this purpose must conclude the relevant matters to repeal this Act within a very short period of time, given that the previous governments have not acted with due diligence to bring about these amendments,” said the ministry statement.
However, the government had announced in February that it had received Cabinet approval to introduce a new law that would replace the current Prevention of Terrorism Act.
“The Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint a committee chaired by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsakularatne to further study the final draft prepared by the Legal Draftsman and submit appropriate proposals to further improve the said draft bill,” the Cabinet decision states.
The Media Unit of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration has further announced that the Minister instructed the committee to take steps to seek public opinion and the views of civil society organizations in early May, and to also consult international institutions and the international community.
Opposition lawmaker Mujibur Rahman stated that Mohammed Rushdie had lost his job when he was granted bail with strict conditions by the court on 7th April, following local and international outcry over his agonising detention in the Counter Terrorism Investigation Department for over two weeks.
