Government urged to repeal draconian PTA

On the eighth anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka?s decades-long conflict, Amnesty International called on the Government to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and?ensure that any legislation it introduces to replace it meets international standards.

?The PTA is a?highly?repressive law?that contributed to?many of the human rights violations that took place during?and following?Sri Lanka?s conflict. Despite being in power for two years, the current government has failed on its promise to repeal the?law,? said?Biraj?Patnaik, Amnesty International?s?South Asia?Director.

?What?s worse, it?s considering?adopting?a new?Counter Terrorism Act that?would continue to?give the police very broad powers to arrest and detain suspects without charge and place them in administrative detention.?

With the PTA still in force, the police retain broad powers to arrest and detain suspects without?effective?human rights?safeguards.?Under the Act, suspects can?also?be?subjected?to secret and incommunicado detention ? practices that heighten the risk of torture and?enforced disappearance.

Amnesty International has received credible testimony alleging human rights violations in the aftermath of the conflict, with Sri Lankan security forces subjecting people to arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, rape and enforced disappearance.

The PTA?shifts the burden of proof onto a detainee alleging torture or other ill-treatment. The?law has also been used to restrict people?s rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association.

On the eighth anniversary of the end of the conflict, Amnesty International is calling on the Sri Lankan government to?present a?clear and coordinated?roadmap?to implement its commitments to justice, truth,?reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, including repeal of the PTA.

?Transparency is absolutely?vital.?Draft legislation, including?the CTA, should be open for public and civil society consultation,? said?Biraj?Patnaik.

Despite the government?s commitments,?it has yet to establish?effective justice mechanisms to investigate?abuses of international human rights and international humanitarian?by all sides?of the conflict, including acts reported during the final months of the conflict?that?may?amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.?

In March, the human rights organization published a major report detailing the struggles of the loved ones of the disappeared in their pursuit of justice.

?Each anniversary is a depressing reminder of the conflict?s ugly?and unresolved?legacy. Every year that passes is a reminder of the?horrific?injustices that were visited on people and what little has been done to address them. Eight years is a long time to wait. The victims and their families should not have to wait any longer. Justice is?long?overdue,? said?Biraj?Patnaik.?

Amnesty International is deeply concerned about the?harassment?of activists and victims who are campaigning for justice?and memorializing the victims of the conflict.

“It is appalling that nearly a decade after the conflict ended, people are?still being prevented from remembering the dead and grieving their loss.?No?one?should be stopped from mourning the dead or demanding justice. This is the very least that the authorities owe to them,” said?Biraj?Patnaik.