HRW calls for Sri Lanka to end use of terrorism law against protesters

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Sri Lanka's president Ranil Wickremesinghe to end the use of counterterrorism laws against protesters and release those already in custody.

Sri Lankan authorities have detained three student protestors, who participated in a demonstration, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which allows up to a year’s detention without trial.

According to HRW, since the president was sworn in July, he has suppressed rights including the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The administration used security forces to violently disperse protesters, and arrested dozens of people who participated in peaceful protests.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch said: “President Wickremesinghe’s use of antiterrorism legislation to lock up people peacefully calling for reform sends a chilling message to Sri Lankans that rights won’t get priority during his administration.

“The president’s suppression of dissent at home flies in the face of his pledges to allies abroad.”

The PTA was adopted in 1979 as a temporary measure and includes provisions that go against international legal standards including those against arbitrary detention and torture. It has allegedly been used to target government opponents and members of minority communities.

Wickremesinghe pledged to repeal the law, when he was prime minister in 2015, when he supported a consensus resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council. He also repeated the commitment in 2017, when Sri Lanka was readmitted to the European Union’s GSP+ scheme. The scheme grants tariff-free access to the EU market for Sri Lankan goods in exchange for compliance with international human rights conventions.

Sri Lankan ministers have said there is “de facto moratorium on arrests being made under the PTA.” Though this excludes those which have a direct involvement with terrorism.”

The three men who were arrested have been held for 90 days without evidence or the possibility to seek bail. The detention orders were signed by Wickremesinghe, who is also defence minister. The orders can be renewed for up to a year.

The detentions have been condemned by politicians and civil society organisations. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka said: “no suspect exercising their fundamental rights under the Constitution should be wrongly treated as a terrorist.”

International figures have urged Wickremesinghe to end the suppression of dissent and especially the renewed use of the PTA. The United States Ambassador Julie Chung posted on Twitter, “Using laws that don’t conform with international human rights standards – like the PTA – erodes democracy in Sri Lanka.”

Sri Lanka is seeking support of international partners to address the country's economic crisis.

The EU said it was “[c]oncerned about reports on the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act in recent arrests as we refer to information given [by the government of Sri Lanka] to the International Community about the de-facto moratorium of the use of PTA."

Image: Pixabay