The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in its current form is likely to be repealed, with a new bill expected to be presented to Parliament by September, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said yesterday (28).
“Hopefully, we will have the PTA in its present form repealed and a new bill introduced in Parliament by September,” Nanayakkara told The Sunday Morning, setting a clear timeline for this significant legislative change.
He also asserted that reforms had been underway following consultations with United Nations (UN) experts long before the visit to Sri Lanka by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
On allegations of torture, the Justice Minister asserted the Government’s non-interference in Fundamental Rights cases.
“If there is any type of wrongdoing, the courts will look into it,” he said, noting that many indictments were currently before courts.
He also invited the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to specify incidents of torture for investigation, reiterating: “As a policy, we will not tolerate if torture has taken place.”
Nanayakkara also confirmed discussions on the decriminalisation of same-sex relations. While affirming a policy of non-discrimination based on gender or gender orientation, he acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue.
“These are controversial matters and could lead to sensitivities among the people of the country. We don’t wish to introduce laws that society will fight over, so we are carefully thinking this through,” he explained.
While policies are in place and work on legal reform is ongoing, no specific timeline for enactment can be provided, according to the Minister.
He suggested that a broader public discussion should arise from the people, indicating it remained a sensitive area being handled with caution.
Meanwhile, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said that while discussions with the UN High Commissioner had involved only the presentation of views and reasons, the Government had emphasised its commitment against torture and Police brutality.
“Not many incidents have happened during our tenure in Government, because we remain staunchly against such abuse of power and authority as a policy,” Wijepala affirmed.
He highlighted instances where action had been taken against Police misconduct, including the removal of Officers-in-Charge (OICs) in cases of custodial deaths, citing the Welikada incident where evidence had been presented in courts.
“If a mistake happens on our part, we do take remedial measures to rectify the issue. In fact, it is our responsibility to do it whether or not the High Commissioner has made these remarks,” he added.
The Public Security Minister also detailed ongoing Police reforms aimed at enhancing capabilities, especially in combating technology-driven crimes.
“Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and the use of technology to commit crimes has increased exponentially. In fact, cybercrime has seen a monumental increase,” he noted.
To address this, he said the Government was enhancing knowledge and technological devices for law enforcement, citing a recent Rs. 40 million machine provided to the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) for identifying synthetic drugs.