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Sri Lanka counter-terrorism legislative reform

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-23 02:12 UTC → 2026-10-26 07:45 UTC · added removed

The Sri Lankan government has moved to reform its counter-terrorism legal framework by gazetting the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill. This proposed legislation is Bill, intended to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act of 1979. The new bill aims to safeguard national security by addressing address offences committed by citizens globally and acts targeting state property or diplomatic missions abroad. It defines missions, defining terrorism as intentional acts designed to provoke public terror or compel government action for political or ideological goals. The bill covers various offences, including cyberattacks, hostage-taking, and environmental harm, with potential penalties including life imprisonment. action. As the transition progresses, the bill legislation has faced significant legal challenges. intense scrutiny. Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne informed Parliament that 40 constitutional petitions have been filed challenging the constitutionality of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill, bill, bringing the government’s national security approach under Supreme Court review. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has warned that the legislation legislation, alongside the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill, could grant extraordinary powers of arrest, detention, and surveillance to the Executive while weakening judicial oversight. Critics BASL President Rajeev Amaraseuri has publicly demanded the government withdraw both security bills, stating they raise significant concerns regarding freedom of speech, assembly, movement, and legal experts express concern that the rule of law. Critics argue the broad definitions of offences may fail to distinguish between genuine terrorist activity terrorism and legitimate democratic expressions, such as peaceful protest, trade union action, and protest or investigative journalism. These concerns mirror historical criticisms of the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act, PTA, which has been frequently used against political opponents, activists, to detain citizens without trial and journalists. suppress dissent.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-26 07:45 UTC Sri Lanka counter-terrorism legislative reform
  2. 2026-10-23 02:12 UTC Sri Lanka counter-terrorism legislative reform
  3. 2026-10-13 03:43 UTC Sri Lanka counter-terrorism legislative reform
  4. 2026-10-05 06:52 UTC Sri Lanka counter-terrorism legislative reform

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