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BASL asks govt. to stop using PTA

Published

3 years ago

2022/08/24

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka yesterday (23) demanded that the government stop using the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) immediately.

The following is the text of the statement issued by the Executive Committee of the BASL: “We are deeply concerned at the use of the provisions of the Prevention of PTA to arrest and detain persons who have been involved in protests against the Government.

In a Media Release, dated 19th August 2022, the Sri Lanka Police has stated that certain suspects are being presently detained, in relation to incidents which occurred during the protests, from 9th April 2022. It is noted that since then Detention Orders for 90 days, have been issued, signed by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Defence detaining three protestors under Section 9 of the PTA.

The PTA is a draconian piece of legislation, which gives wide powers to the Executive to arrest and detain persons for a lengthy period of time. Although Detention Orders are amenable to the Fundamental Rights and Writ Jurisdictions of the apex courts, they are not subject to regular judicial supervision unlike instances of arrests and detention under the general law. Administrative detention confers the Executive with wide powers over the freedom of physical liberty of a person and lengthy detention periods without judicial supervision go against internationally accepted standards of protections of human rights.

There is also the danger that such detention may result in the detainee being subject to torture and inhuman treatment.

The provisions of the PTA have time and again been abused as evidenced by many judgments of the apex courts in Fundamental Rights and Writ Applications and as observed by several Members of Parliament on the 22nd March 2022 during the second reading debate on the Bill seeking to amend the Prevention of Terrorism

Act, as reflected in the Hansard of that date. During the said debate the present President Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe who was a Member of Parliament has inter alia stated referring to the PTA that “in time to come, it was abused.”

The provisions of the PTA must be resorted to only in very exceptional circumstances where there is manifest evidence indicative of a terrorist dimension that would make resort to its use justifiable. The PTA was intended to address situations of terrorism and never to address offences which may have occurred during the expression of dissent against the Government such as protests for which there exist the ordinary law of the land, including the Penal Code.

In fact, in its response dated 15th December 2021 to the then Foreign Minister, Prof. G. L. Pieris MP, on a document prepared by the Foreign Ministry ‘setting out the main changes proposed in the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act’ the BASL advocated amending section 2(1) of the PTA to prevent the misuse of the PTA to arrest and detain persons who are not connected to terrorist acts.

The BASL notes that the PTA is now being used despite assurances by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) that it was implementing a moratorium on the use of the PTA. During the aforesaid debate in Parliament as reflected in the Hansard on the 22nd March 2022, the then Minister of Justice M.U.M. Ali Sabry MP, presently the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated in Parliament as follows: “As a result, since September 2021, there has been a de facto moratorium on the use of the PTA on offences other than those which have a direct involvement with terrorism. Therefore, these are progressive steps made in that regard.”

The BASL also notes that the use of the PTA has been seen as a matter of concern in granting to Sri Lanka an extension of the GSP+ by the European Union. The abuse of the PTA has also been raised time and again at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In these circumstances and in the absence of a clear definition of terrorism in the PTA, there is a grave danger of it being abused to stifle legitimate expressions of dissent and to target persons who exercise their democratic rights including the freedoms of speech and expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

The BASL therefore calls upon the President and the law enforcement authorities to refrain from using the PTA in this manner and to immediately rescind the Detention Orders issued referred to above.”

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya extended

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

The landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya by the Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation have been extended till 0600 hrs on 15th February 2026.

Accordingly,
The Level II [AMBER] warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Walapane and Nildandahinna in the Nuwar Eliya district and the
Level I [YELLOW] warning issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pathadumbara in the Kandy district have been extended.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces and Badulla and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 11.30 a.m. 14 February 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 14 February 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces and in Badulla and Nuwara-Eliya districts after 1.00 p.m. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers.

The General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Teacher recruitment examinations will be conducted in accordance with the relevant court decisions – PM

Published

13 hours ago

2026/02/14

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the forthcoming two teacher recruitment examinations will be conducted in accordance with the relevant court decisions pertaining to the ongoing legal proceedings and further noted that, taking into consideration the requests received, steps have been taken to make a request to Court’s approval to revise the conditions of the effective date of degree completion.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a meeting held at Monaragala Royal College to brief education authorities of the Monaragala District on the new education reforms.

Under the new education reforms, Smart Boards will be provided to 132 schools in the Monaragala District as part of the program to equip secondary schools with modern technology. As a symbolic step under this initiative, Smart Boards were presented to 10 secondary schools under the Prime Minister’s patronage. This program is being implemented with the intervention of the Digital Task Force operating under the Prime Minister’s Office. It was also emphasized that a new digital policy, formulated with special attention to child protection, will be introduced in April.

As part of her visit to the Monaragala District on the 13 th of February, the Prime Minister observed the implementation of the new learning methodologies introduced for Grade One under the new education reforms. She visited Kumbukkana Sri Shanmugam Tamil Maha Vidyalaya and Maduruketiya Maha Vidyalaya in Monaragala to observe the educational activities of Grade One students.

Considering the increase of student numbers and the development of infrastructure facilities, the Prime Minister also approved a proposal submitted by the School Development Society to rename Maduruketiya Maha Vidyalaya as Monaragala Dharmaraja Maha Vidyalaya.

Teachers briefed the Prime Minister that the new education system, supported by revised workbooks and activity-based learning methods, has proven to be effective, with students participating enthusiastically.

Addressing education officials further at the meeting held at Monaragala Royal College, the Prime Minister stated:

“Although this will not provide a complete solution to the existing teacher vacancies, these examinations can offer considerable relief. According to the Court’s previous determination, the effective date of degree completion had been set as 30.06.2025. However, considering numerous requests and following the cabinet approval we have sought Court’s consent to revise this date. We will act in accordance with the decision granted.

Funds allocated for school infrastructure must be utilized transparently and in line with proper planning, and progress must be reported accordingly. We cannot move forward by dividing ourselves along national, provincial, rural, or urban lines. As education authorities, you must make swift and accurate decisions based on correct data.

Further, discussions are already underway within the Piriven Committee of the Ministry of Education to develop Piriven education and to address the issues faced by Piriven teachers.”

The event was attended by the members of the Maha Sangha, Uva Province Governor Attorney-at-Law Kapila Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce R.M. Jayawardhana, Member of Parliament Ajith Agalakada, Uva Provincial Education Secretary Nihal Gunarathne, and several officials from the education sector.