Issuing a statement, the Church of Ceylon has criticized the government over it’s move to introduce the Protection of State from Terrorism Bill (PSTB).
The PSTB is to be introduced to replace the widely criticized Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA).
The Church of Ceylon states that for 47 years, the PTA has been criticized for abusing and misusing state agencies to detain dissenting voices, journalists, human right defenders and minority communities.
The Church of Ceylon has called the PTSB’s introduction as a clear violation of the President’s election manifesto, where a pledge was made to “abolish all oppressive acts… and ensure the civil rights of people in all parts of the country”.
It emphasizes that the proposed PSTB risks reproducing the same patterns of repression associated with the PTA, adding that the bill contains a vague definition of terrorism that could be used to suppress dissent and curtail freedom of expression.
The Church of Ceylon calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to immediately repeal the draconian PTA and withdraw the proposed PSTB draft bill, urging the government to address security concerns and respond to terror threats in a manner consistent with constitutional and democratic values.