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Proposed Anti-terrorism Bill a grave threat to human rights and individual freedom: LDM
The proposed Anti-terrorism Bill is a grave threat to human rights and individual freedom as it would shrink the democratic space in society, the Lanka Democratic Movement (LDM) said.
The full statement issued by the LDM is as follows: “We strongly oppose the proposed Anti-terrorism bill, which threatens to undermine democracy and erode judicial oversight over detentions. This bill has the potential to stifle the right to peaceful protest and poses a grave threat to individual freedoms. The new law introduces more draconian measures than the current Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which we believe curtail human rights and individual freedom.
We call on all those who value freedom and the rule of law to join us in defeating this bill. The right to protest peacefully is a fundamental pillar of any democracy, and this bill threatens to crush it. We urge the government to reconsider this proposed legislation and uphold the principles of democracy, freedom, and human rights for all.
It is apparent that the current government intends to utilize the proposed Anti-terrorism Bill as a means to consolidate their hold on power by suppressing opposing voices. However, the nature of such repressive laws is that even their architects can become victims of them when governments change. Therefore, those who support the Anti-terrorism Bill today must remember that a future government could potentially employ the same legislation to stifle them.
In a democratic society, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental human rights are crucial principles that must be upheld. Counter-terrorism measures must respect these principles and avoid infringing upon the rights of citizens.
Any counter-terrorism law should be transparent, accountable, and subject to judicial oversight to prevent abuse of power. It should also include clear definitions of what constitutes terrorism and what actions are prohibited, to prevent arbitrary or excessive use of force.
Additionally, any new counter-terrorism law must be proportionate to the threat faced and should not unduly restrict the freedom of speech, association, or assembly. Safeguards should also be in place to protect against racial profiling and discrimination.
Overall, it is possible to introduce counter-terrorism laws without violating basic tenets of democracy, but it requires careful consideration and balancing of the need for security with respect for individual rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, the Government has failed to adhere to these basic tenets of democracy when designing the Anti-Terrorism Bill.”
Text and Pic by Priyan de Silva
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake has questioned whether some promises contained in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, could be fulfilled even if the government wanted to implement them.
Dissanayake raised the issue during a discussion following the release of the third biannual report on manifesto monitoring by the March 12 Movement, at the BMICH, on Wednesday.
He questioned whether the report had taken into account legal and institutional constraints affecting the implementation of certain pledges.
Citing the proposal to establish Anti-Corruption Investigation Offices in each district, Dissanayake said such offices could be established only with the agreement of CIABOC and that amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act would be necessary.
He also referred to the pledge to abolish the Executive Presidency, noting that successive governments had made similar commitments since 1994. He questioned whether there had been adequate consideration of where the powers vested in the Executive President would be transferred if the system were abolished.
On the proposal to establish a Public Prosecutor, Dissanayake questioned whether the Government intended to maintain the office alongside the Attorney General, who currently performs prosecution-related functions.
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake said Dissanayake’s remarks should be regarded as his personal views and not as Government policy.
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultants M. Thilakarajah and D.D. Mataharaarachchi presented the third-phase findings, covering January to June 2026.
The corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against former Navy Commander, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, and Yoshitha Rajapaksa was set for a pre-trial conference by the Colombo High Court.
The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court on Thursday (17), when the accused, who are currently out on bail, appeared before the court. After considering the submissions made, the court ordered that the case be called for a pre-trial conference.
The CIABOC had filed the case against the accused, alleging that a corruption offence was committed by sending Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, for training at the Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom despite him not having the required qualifications.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to conduct an investigation and submit a report on whether a statement made by former Minister Wimal Weerawansa at a political rally, in Anuradhapura, on September 12, amounted to contempt of court.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), made the request when a complaint filed against MP Namal Rajapaksa in connection with the Airbus issue was taken up.
Bandara also handed over to court a compact disc containing the relevant speech made by Weerawansa.
After considering the request, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama directed the IGP to conduct an investigation into the matter and submit a report to court.
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