President promises to repeal PTA within next few months

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told Parliament that the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which had remained in force for 46 years despite being introduced as a temporary measure, would be repealed within the next few months. The President said Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara had completed drafting the legislation that would replace the PTA and that the final discussions on the matter had already been concluded. “The PTA was introduced in 1979 as a temporary law, but it has continued for the past 46 years. There have been strong public demands for its repeal,” President Dissanayake said. He said the government was committed to abolishing the controversial legislation while ensuring that the country remained equipped to deal with organised crime and serious security threats. The President said a new legal framework would be introduced specifically to address organised criminal activities, with clearly defined provisions and safeguards to prevent misuse. He noted that one of the major criticisms against the PTA was its broad definition of terrorism, which had raised concerns over possible violations of fundamental rights and democratic freedoms. The proposed legislation, he said, would focus narrowly on organised crime while protecting constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and other civil liberties. President Dissanayake also said the government had taken steps to amend the Online Safety Act introduced by the previous administration, instead of implementing it in its existing form.Although the legislation had been passed by Parliament, it had not been enforced under the present administration, he said, adding that Cabinet approval had already been granted to proceed with amendments. He stressed that legal reforms should be carried out through a transparent process that respected public rights, noting that previous instances where laws passed by Parliament were later amended at the Cabinet level had raised concerns regarding transparency and due process.The President said the government’s approach was to ensure that new laws addressed security challenges while maintaining democratic values and safeguarding individual freedoms. By Saman Indrajith