Draft ‘Protection of the State from Terrorism’ Law Raises Serious Concerns – Human Rights Watch

22-Jan-2026

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Human Rights Watch has warned that the government’s newly proposed “Protection of the State from Terrorism” bill contains provisions as severe as those in the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and carries a high risk of abuse and repression.

The draft law, intended to replace the PTA of 1979 (Act No. 48), has been published on the official website of the Ministry of Justice. Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara has invited public comments and suggestions on the draft by 28 February.

In a statement outlining its concerns, Human Rights Watch said the proposed law replicates the most abusive elements of the PTA and does not comply with standards set by UN counterterrorism experts, Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations, or commitments made to the European Union to secure GSP+ trade concessions.

Sri Lanka agreed in 2017 to repeal the PTA in line with international human rights standards as a condition for GSP+. 

However, successive governments have failed to fulfil this commitment. The National People’s Power’s 2024 election manifesto, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, promised to repeal the PTA and other repressive laws entirely. The current draft, Human Rights Watch said, contradicts that pledge.

With the promise to repeal the PTA still unfulfilled, the new draft risks enabling continued abuses by authorities. Human Rights Watch urged the government to immediately suspend the application of the PTA and to draft a new law that respects rights through an inclusive consultative process.