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HRCSL to discuss PTA detainees with Police

28 Dec 2021

  • HRCSL to meet CID, TID, and Police Legal Division heads today
BY Pamodi Waravita Newly appointed Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Chairperson Supreme Court Judge (Retd.) Justice Rohini Marasinghe will be holding a meeting with the heads of institutions coming under the Sri Lanka Police Department today (29) regarding detainees held under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA). “The Directors of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), and the Police Legal Division will be meeting with Justice Marasinghe to discuss the concerns surrounding the PTA,” an HRCSL official told The Morning yesterday (28). The discussion will include other HRCSL Commissioners. Justice Marasinghe was appointed as the new HRCSL Chairperson earlier this month, following the retirement of Dr. Jagath Balasuriya. Ven. Kalupahana Piyarathana Thera was also appointed as an HRCSL Commissioner this month, raising concerns about a member of the clergy being part of the Commission. Calls to repeal the PTA have increased this year, both locally and internationally, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet emphasising the need for its repeal in her oral update about Sri Lanka earlier this year. The European Parliament, earlier this year, called on the Government of Sri Lanka to repeal the PTA and the European Commission to consider the temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concession from Sri Lanka if it is not done. The GSP+ Monitoring Mission for the Third Cycle visited Sri Lanka during the months of September and October, meeting civil society members, politicians, and other stakeholders about a number of issues including the PTA. The Morning reported at the time that the Ministry of Justice, in its discussions with the European Union (EU) delegation, had assured them that necessary amendments will be made to the PTA within the next six months. The 24th Session of the EU-Sri Lanka Joint Commission in the first quarter of 2022 will witness the review of all aspects of bilateral co-operation. This year, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also appointed a three-member Advisory Board under Section 13 of the PTA, to make recommendations on actions to be taken on detainees and remand prisoners held under the PTA. The first draft of the renewed PTA report was presented to President Rajapaksa on 15 November by Committee Chairman and Defence Secretary Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne. Ten Tamils who were arrested by Sri Lanka Police on 18 May under the provisions of the PTA were released on bail on 8 December by the Valaichchenai District Magistrate’s Court. According to the Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), the party had been arrested for lighting a flame of remembrance for war victims at Kiran beach in Kalkudah, Batticaloa. It was reported that these individuals were held under the PTA for a period of seven months.


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