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US raises concerns on aspects of Anti-Terrorism Bill
20 Apr, 2023
The United States today raised concerns on some aspects of the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
The concerns were raised at a meeting between the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung and Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.
Julie Chung said that she discussed US concerns with aspects of the Anti-Terrorism Bill that fall outside of international standards.
She also shared America’s strong desire to see extensive public and parliamentary discussions on the Bill.
“It is important that all voices ? including civil society, academia, and lawmakers ? are considered to ensure the legislation serves as an effective tool for combatting terrorism without restricting freedom of expression or assembly,” the US envoy tweeted.
The Minister of Justice had informed the Ambassador that the Government?s objective in bringing the Anti-Terrorism Bill to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act was to secure the safety of the common people of the country, and that the chances of violating human rights have been minimized by the new Anti-Terrorism Bill. (Colombo Gazette)
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