Sri Lanka: Draft counter-terrorism Bill Must Meet International Human Rights Standards
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has published a legal brief examining Sri Lanka’s proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism (PSTA) Bill against the country’s obligations under international human rights law.
Placed before Parliament on 6 October 2026, the PSTA Bill is intended to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a law repeatedly criticised by UN human rights mechanisms for facilitating prolonged detention without charge, torture and other forms of ill-treatment. While the OMCT welcomes the proposed repeal of the PTA and recognises several safeguards in the new bill, significant concerns remain.
Its broad definition of terrorism and loosely framed offences could be used to target non-violent protest, strikes, online activity and legitimate expression. Extensive powers to arrest and detain individuals, restrict organisations and impose preventive measures also raise serious concerns about arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance and the suppression of dissent. The proposed legislation thus risks reinforcing a broader pattern of restrictions on civic space and fundamental freedoms in Sri Lanka.
The OMCT calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to revise the bill to bring it fully into line with international law. This requires, among other measures, narrowly defined terrorist offences, effective judicial control over detention, safeguards against torture from the outset of custody, and stronger guarantees of due process, non-discrimination and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
Counter-terrorism legislation must not become a tool for restricting civic space or criminalising legitimate dissent. Protecting people from terrorism and upholding human rights are complementary obligations, not competing objectives.
